


In the Dark - Complete

by Jacqualine



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Ghosts, Marijuana, Oral Sex, Sex, Shirbert, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:29:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 56,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25033213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jacqualine/pseuds/Jacqualine
Summary: Anne and Gilbert are members of rival ghost hunting groups. We all know how a rivalry goes when these two are involved.There may be a few spooky moments, but I don't know if I have the talent to make it as scary as I would like, so be warned.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Comments: 156
Kudos: 190





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ghost hunters meets Anne? Why not?
> 
> As I said in the summary, I would like to create a darker, creepier feeling at times. I don't know how successful I will be at it, as I have never attempted it. I won't make it too scary, I know some people can't handle it and I will definitely warn you before it happens.

"We've combed through the archival records and the newspapers from that time, and we couldn't find any record of a Joanie or Joan Sullivan living in Breadabane, or Queen's County. Perhaps she never existed, or the name is wrong, or she was just never recorded in the records, it may not be Joanie haunting The Drunken Donkey Pub, but there is a mysterious presence there that clearly made itself known to us."

"They scooped us again." Gilbert growled, looking up from his laptop. "How are they always one step ahead of us?"

"I'm not sure, and they've gained another 1000 followers on their Youtube channel." Charlie pointed out.

"I just don't get it...what do they have that we don't?" Gilbert frowned and replayed the video.

They were a group of four, sometimes five, if Bash could be roped into joining them, C.H.A.P.S. stood for Charlottetown Haunting and Paranormal Society. It started out when they were just teenagers, checking out old abandoned buildings that had long been rumoured to be haunted, mostly just wandering around in the dark drinking and telling spooky stories, now that they were in university, they had upgraded their investigations. They had better equipment, permission to enter the properties...most of the time, they produced videos, blogs and even live streamed sometimes. But then another group on the island started posting videos and garnering a lot of attention, they had even been interviewed by the local CTV news outlet and it had been replayed on the national news. 

Gilbert wasn't the jealous type, he never coveted what his friends had, other than wishing he had a mom and dad like most of his friends had, he never wanted a better house, fancier clothes or a car when he turned sixteen, but he was seething with jealousy over this other group, Spirits, Shadows and Spectres. He was green with envy over their success, they were achieving everything he hoped that C.H.A.P.S. would, they had even been invited into some private homes for investigations.

"Looks like they got an Xcam" Charlie said with wonder. Gilbert frowned, he had wanted an Xcam for a long time, but at over $1200 USD it was out of reach for him. Xcams used the same technology as an Xbox Kinect, it could pick up a stick figure forms if there was a spirit present. 

"How the fuck do they afford all this tech?" Gilbert growled. 

"They must have monetized their videos, they are getting a ton of views since the CTV story on them." Charlie told him. 

"I just find it curious that the last three times we have planned a site to film at, they managed to get there first." 

"It's a small island, there are only so many places to go to." Paul said, his voice raising at the end of his statement. Something that Gilbert had learned over the years meant he was hiding something or lying, it's why Gilbert was always able to beat Paul at poker, Paul had a very obvious tell he wasn't even aware of. 

"That is true...but they went to The Little Girl's Grave in Pictou County on the mainland." Gilbert pushed him. The Little Girl's grave was literally that, a grave and headstone for a young girl that had died in the 1800s. It was located on the side of a mountainous road, near the edge of a steep incline, the story said if you read the words on the tombstone, her spirit would follow you home. Spirits, Shadows and Spectres had filmed the week before CHAPS was scheduled to visit, now that was delayed by several weeks so that they wouldn't look like they were following the other group. 

"It's not like nobody knows about her grave." Paul said, staring down at his phone intently. "It's on Google."

Moody, Charlie and Gilbert shared a look. "Ok Paul, out with it." Gilbert ordered.

"I don't know what you are....fine. I'm hooking up with one of them." Paul admitted looking ashamed.

"One of who?" Moody asked, lost already.

"One of the Spirit crew?" Charlie asked? At Paul's nod, Gilbert felt a fresh surprising wave of jealousy, was Paul hooking up with their leader Anne? She was beautiful, Gilbert had seen all their videos, even behind the scenes stuff, he had once watched her walk across campus, talking to a tiny mousey blonde. Anne had been smiling and talking about something that seemed to excite her, her arms with gesturing wildly. She had a great body, long legs, that looked strong, infact all of her looked strong, he admired that about her. He would never admit to it, but he had paused a video of theirs when Anne was wearing a backpack and a a tank top, her tits had looked huge and her hardened nipples had shown through her shirt, rubbing one out to his competition was definitely a low point in his life...one he had repeated a three more times. 

"Tillie, she's amazing. She's so smart, and funny, and fearless...and we have a lot in common, she's in charge of editing for them too..."

"So what she's boning you to get our secrets? What the hell Paul?" Charlie asked his voice thick with anger.

"She just asked what we were planning, I didn't know she would tell the others, or that they would go to those locations first."

"Well from now on, you don't know the locations until day of." Gilbert decided. Then he returned to his laptop and pounded out a comment on Spirits Shadows and Spectres latest video.

"Whoa! We just got a really horrible comment from CHAPS on The Drunken Donkey video." Josie announced, looking up from the computer screen. They were in the "Hub", the dining room area of the home that Spirits, Shadows and Spectres rented together. The room had never been used as a dining room for the women, it had several computers, monitors and ghost hunting gadgets in it. It's where the main part of the researching, reviewing, editing and meetings were held. 

"Why would they do that?" Anne asked, grabbing her phone and opening the Youtube app, scrolling through to find the comment.

"They seem like nice boys. I've seen one of them on the bus a few times on the way home from school." Rudy said and she looked at her phone too.

"Prostitution!?" Anne shouted.

"What?" Diana and Tillie gasped at the same time. 

"They are accusing us of corporate espionage, using sex to gain such information and claiming it's no better than prostitution, and they imply we are faking our findings." Anne told them.

"This Paranormal research group's members use sex to gain information about other groups and their plans, they then film and post about these locations before we can. It is tantamount to corporate espionage, and really rather disappointing that they can not even do their own research or come up with original ideas. If they are willing to go so low, to gain this information...how low would they go to "prove" hauntings?" Ruby read out loud. "What is he talking about?"

"That is exactly what I would like to know." Anne frowned staring at the comment again. She had always liked CHAPS and it was them that inspired her and her friends to start up their own paranormal research group. When the videos started popping up on Youtube she had watched them avidly, afterall, it wasn't often that their small part of the world was mentioned or talked about online. She liked that they were careful and measured, they didn't attempt to mislead their viewers. 

"This doesn't seem like something they would say." Diana offered up. She knew them, the guys from CHAPS, she grew up in the same small town as them. Diana had very conservative, religious parents, as a result she had to stay off camera when they filmed, but was still an active participant. The men from CHAPS were probably not aware that someone they knew was part of SSS.

"Well they have. How dare they? We are very open and honest about our findings. And the fact that nothing otherworldly happens 90% of the time should be proof of that." Anne was on her feet pacing now. 

"They are probably just jealous of our success." Jane concluded. "We started after them but we have thousands of more subscribers, views and shares than they do, they are clearly salty at our popularity."

"That's probably it." Tillie said as her thumbs moving rapidly over the keyboard of her phone. Anne noticed a crimson blush on Tillie's face, and she was breathing hard, like she was angry.

"You okay Tillie?" She asked.

"Yeah I'm fine." She nodded, putting her phone face down on the table and returning to her laptop, where she had been reading about Scotch Fort Cemetery. 

"Well we can't let them get away with this." Josie spoke up. "This could hurt us."

"It could, we need to put out a statement, to refute it." Anne agreed.

"We should record a video, showing our viewers how we come up with ideas." Diana suggested.

"Good idea, Diana." Anne agreed.

"I don't think that is necessary. We don't need to respond to these accusations." Tillie countered.

"Yeah we do. We already have people responding to CHAPS comment." Ruby told them. 

"It's already too late to delete it. Someone will have screenshotted it. We need to do damage control." Josie advised. 

"First things first, let's write a statement. Then we can see if there is any fallout." Diana said.

"Then I go and kick all of their asses." Anne threatened.

"That didn't take long." Gilbert said to no one in particular when he saw he had received a private message from SSS to the CHAPS Instagram account about an hour after his comment.

"If you do not remove your libelous comment from our video, and release a full public apology, we will be forced to have our lawyers acquire a cease and desist order against not only CHAPS, but all of its members."

"Are you fucking kidding me? Threatening me with lawyers?" Gilbert roared as he stormed through the apartment, past a startled Moody and Charlie, Paul had slunk off to his own apartment as soon as he could, Gilbert's thumbs already typing out a reply.

He planned to be professional, use the same tone as the one from SSS, but he was seeing red. Maybe it was that underlying jealousy egging him on but he was not holding back. All professionalism was lost, and for once in his 22 years of life, one where he carefully plotted and planned, weighed and decided before making a decision, Gilbert Blythe let it go. 

"Apologize? You have been stealing our ideas and then you threaten us with legal action? Please be my guest, call your lawyers, I'm pretty sure that once they hear about you pimping out your members to gain inside knowledge, we'll have grounds to sue you! I look forward to seeing you in court. Please tell let Tillie know that Paul is no longer privy to locations. I can't wait to see you flounder when you need to come up with an original idea."

Anne was eating spicy hummus and pita chips when she noticed that she had a reply from CHAPS, she smiled gleefully, expecting an apology and intentions to make a more public one, instead she was left speechless for a second. Pimping? This little upstart was calling her unoriginal? The insolence!The audacity! The unmitigated gall...she shook her head when she realized she was mentally quoting the live action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. "Focus Anne." 

She reread the message, zeroing in on the part about Tillie and someone named Paul. "You're an idiot." She quoted the movie again before she shouted. "TILLIE!"


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne tries to clean up the mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glad you guys like the idea!!! Thanks for commenting, leaving kudos and reading!!

"You really fucked us here Tillie." Anne berated Tillie, who sat sadly on the couch.

"We weren't the only ones she was fucking." Josie said under her breath.

"Exactly!" Anne heard her anyway. "We were so close to snaring that sponsorship too." After they went national on the news, people started talking about them, an all girl ghost hunting group, they had been approached by a Deodorant company about the possibility of becoming an official sponsor. They would have been able to travel farther and investigate sites previously out of reach for SSS. 

"We still might be able too. I've been texting my professor." Josie was in law school, and one of her professors saw her potential and had taken Josie under her wing. "She's willing to help us craft the right response, we need one where we explain it was never intentional, Tillie did not seek out this Paul, and any information she collected from him was revealed freely on his part and not part of a sexual transaction."

"It wasn't. We just chatted in the afterglow." Tillie told them. "We met at Crumbles...I didn't know who he was until after our first hookup."

"That will help. She says it is imperative that the rest of us have deniability." Josie continued. "So we need to come up with something and she will look it over for us and give us notes."

"I think we're going to need to do more than apologize." Diana told them.

"Like what?" Anne asked her, arms crossed, guarded as if on some instinctive level she was protecting herself from what Diana would suggest.

"An olive branch."

"A fruit basket?" Ruby suggested.

"A gift card to Tim Hortons?" Jane added.

"Perhaps Tillie can hook up with them all." Anne threw in sarcastically.

"I mean...are they cute?" Tillie asked, considering her answer. 

"Tillie! Keep it in your pants." Anne instructed. "What are you thinking Diana?"

"A collaboration." It took a moment for it to sink in and for Anne to react.

"No! No. No. No. No." She repeated.

"I don't see what the problem is, they are actually really nice guys. And you had no problem with them before...all this went down." Diana countered.

"It will be awful. You know how guys get. They will either expect us to do all the work and then take all of the glory, or they will push us aside and freeze us out. We are in control of our content, I am not willing to lose ourselves in a collaboration."

"Gilbert is not like that, I promise you Anne, he is one of the best people I have ever met." Diana insisted. 

"Let's issue an apology, I will record it as well, and in it we can share all their social media links and encourage our viewers to give them a watch too." Anne decided, she just couldn't give up their individuality to a group of men. She was also still pretty pissed off at Gilbert Blythe for that last message...unoriginal...how dare he? "And a fruit basket." 

Her tone left no room for argument.

Gilbert replayed the video again. It was the exact same statement that had showered all the SSS social media. Anne stood in a room filled with equipment, tech that made Gilbert drool, almost as much as he was drooling over Anne. 

"Recently an accusation appeared on one of our videos by another paranormal research group, Charlottetown Haunting and Paranormal Society, in that they claimed we had acquired future shooting locations from them, through less than reputable means. As president of Spirits, Shadows and Spectres, I regretfully inform you that there is some basis to this accusation. One of our members has engaged in a sexual relationship with one of their members and did learn from him some of the places they were planning to go to. Let me assure you that neither I, nor any member of my team asked her to do this, nor were we aware of it until after the accusations were made. She also insists that she did not start this relationship with the intent to gain this knowledge, and did not learn he was a member of CHAPS until after their original encounter. She did however suggest these locations to myself and other members and we did indeed film there. For this we humbly apologize to not only you the viewers, but to all the members of CHAPS, and we promise that it will never happen again. We ask that you please click the links in the description and watch and follow CHAPS, they do great investigative work and do the province of Prince Edward Island proud, we have nothing but respect and admiration for them and their work. Thank you all for your understanding and again our...my sincerest apologies."

How could a black turtleneck look so sexy? He wanted to pull that neckline down and feel the smooth skin there with his lips, feel her against his body... 

"Yo Gilbert, Anne from Spirits sent you a package." Moody called out from the living room. Gilbert got up from his bed, closing the Youtube app and wandered out to find several packages in the living room. "We all got something, plus there is a fruit basket, I call dibs on the kiwi."

"You are the only one here that even likes kiwi." Gilbert reminded him. 

"So they issue an apology and give us a fruit basket and it's all supposed to be honky dory?" Gilbert muttered as he opened the box addressed to him. 

"Shit, look they sent us each a pair of jogging pants and hoodies with our logo on it." Charlie exclaimed, pulling out a black hoodie with CHAPS emblazoned down the left arm. It did look cool, even if he wasn't ready to admit it.

"Guys we were taken advantage of, we lost a lot of potential followers, and you are ready to forgive and forget because they bought you a tracksuit? Holy shit this is a REM Pod!!!" He exclaimed excitedly as he pulled it out of the box. It was the latest version of the device, a squat cylindrical device with small light bulbs and an antenna on top of it. 

"You were saying?" Charlie asked dryly. 

"It IS a considerate gift." Gilbert replied, reading the specs on the REM Pod's box. 

"If you looked past your new toy, you would see that you also got some clothes." Charlie pointed, Gilbert looked and indeed see that there were some clothes in there for him, the hoodie and track pants. Was it enough? The apology...he had to remember the apology. Could he live with himself if he accepted what was an obvious buying of their silence.

It really was a nice REM Pod...

Anne looked around, she normally didn't come to Crumbles, but she had a meeting with a professor and the bakery was close by his office, she was hungry, her stomach growling embarrassingly loud during her meeting, so as she was walking toward her car, she saw the sign and decided she could buy a cookie to eat and hoped it would tide her over until she got home. She peaked in the window first, worried she would see Tillie and her lover there, when the coast seemed clear she entered. 

She honestly loved Crumbles, it just felt so warm and inviting, and the smell of sweet treats, chocolate, fudge and cooking sugar filling the air was like a small shot of Heaven. She was deciding between a black and white cookie, a cannoli or the Crumb Bum, a box where you chose ten of whatever you wanted. 

"I'll get the Crumb Bum." She ordered. "I have five roommates." She explained, not wanting to be judged. 

Her box was filled and wrapped, waiting on the counter for her to pay, there was a line ahead of her and she was sixth in line, she spent the rest of the time looking at her phone, sending a text off to Josie, deleting the junk emails that had accumulated.

"Anne, hi..." She heard a deep voice say close to her, not from the counter as she was expecting. She looked up from her phone and found herself staring into a pair of hazel eyes. Eyes that were framed by dark eyebrows, Gilbert Blythe, she felt her stomach drop as she studied his face, hoping it would give her even the slightest warning that he was about to deliver a verbal ass kicking for the whole Tille/Paul debacle. 

"Hi...". She answered hesitantly. 

"Hi..." He repeated and she could see he was nervous too, did he think she would yell at him? She probably would have, had Tillie not actually been guilty of most of the accusations. "Thank you, for the apology...you didn't have to include our socials."

She felt herself relax a bit. "We did. I really am sorry and we did not know, I hope you believe me."

"I do...we do." He assured her. "And thanks for the gear." He smiled and stepped back, showing off a hoodie with CHAPS along the arm. She didn't know what he was talking about but she smiled and nodded. "And with that REM Pod...who knows what we might catch now." REM Pod? What was he talking about?

He continued. "At first, I admit, I thought you were just trying to buy us off. But then Paul told us that you guys were open to a collaboration with us..." She felt herself go rigid again as all the pieces suddenly snapped into place. Diana, of course it was Diana, had bought them these gifts, and Tillie had opened her big mouth and mentioned the collaboration. 

"Did you get the fruit basket?" She asked, not caring that her tone had become hostile. 

"We did, it was great, you know college guys, we can't remember the last time we ate something healthy."

"Wonderful. I am sorry to tell you that we won't be able to collaborate at this time." She informed him, her voice dripping with fake disappointment. She couldn't help the thrill of victory she felt deep in her belly when his face fell at that bit of news. "We really need to establish our originality before we even think of working with another group." She stressed the word originality on purpose, hoping he got the message. 

When his eyes narrowed, and a frown pinched his lips, she knew he had. "I see." He nodded slowly. "I don't know how you can accomplish that without our ideas." 

"It was three places!" She replied, not caring her voice was raised, and people were looking at her. "We already had that interview with CTV before Tillie started hooking up with your editor. Don't be salty because we have done better and achieved more in less time than you." 

"Let's face it sweetheart...90% of your viewers are just there for the fap." He told her his voice low. She froze, her hand clenching and unclenching at her side and she fought with her impulse to punch him. One of her biggest fears was they would not be taken seriously because they were all women...Gilbert Blythe had just confirmed her worst fear. Worse, insinuated that people were just there to masturbate to them. She felt the tears come to her eyes, she willed them not to fall in front of him.

"Anne?" They both looked at the cashier, who was calling out her name, her order was ready to be paid for. Anne walked over and used her phone to pay for the treats, thanks the cashier and headed toward the exit door.

"Anne..." He tried to stop her. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Do not ever talk to me again." She warned him and then walked out of the bakery.

He was an idiot. An absolute fucking dumbass. Why had he said that? The look of hurt in her eyes had been like a kick in the balls to him. He was so ashamed of himself, he diminished the hard work they had done because his ego was damaged. He'd reduced her value and success to looks and sex appeal.

He was the patriarchy. 

He had honestly just wanted to say hi, and talk about the collaboration. When Paul came back from a date with Tillie and told him about it, Gilbert had been so excited. Not for the chance to work with their fancy gear, not for the chance at more followers, to work with her. Well he had fucked that right up. 

She had looked different in the bakery than she looked on camera. Her hair was not in its usual ponytail, instead it had sat on her shoulders and had shimmered in the light. A bright blue blouse had revealed her creamy throat and chest, a few freckles visible there, a short black skirt had given him a glimpse of her legs, they looked strong, he couldn't help but imagine how soft they would feel under his fingers. He wanted her, had a crush on a Youtube personality...and when he had finally met her in person, and she was even more stunning then he had realised...he had stuffed it all up. He was probably the only pervert fapping to her. How could he have said that? And calling her sweetheart...that was just so demeaning. 

He could hear Bash's voice in his head, laughing and calling him a moke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REM Pod - Is a device that lights up. Spirits can use its energy to communicate with the living.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Gilbert have another "encounter".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may be too scary for those of you that don't like anything horror related. I'll put a ** at the beginning and end of sections that have the scary stuff in it.

They decided on it last minute. Paul was out with Tillie on a date, Gilbert, Moody and Charlie were bored of Call of Duty, and decided to go check out an old abandoned church that they passed on the way to and from the ferry, right off Highway 1, ten minutes north of Eldon.

They parked on a side road a five minute walk away, so that their car wouldn't catch the attention of a passing police car, or a local who might phone the police. It was an old presbyterian church, it used to be white, the paint chipped and faded, there was a small cemetery in the back, with a locked gate and no other entrance. 

"You want to hop the fence?" Moody asked. 

"Let's see if we can get inside the church first, if not we can do some EVPs and take some pictures." Gilbert decided. They checked their battery packs, all freshly charged, made sure they had spare batteries for the cameras and the EVP recorder.

Gilbert stood in front of the church, next to the sign that had been vandalized several times. "We are here just outside Eldon, PEI, at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, abandoned for a several decades, when they built a larger church in Eldon." He said as Moody filmed him, Charlie was taking exterior shots of the church.

"We'll do some research tomorrow and see if we hit anything, you can do voice over some B shots if we find any paranormal stories. I'll come back tomorrow and shoot the B shots." Charlie told them.

"Sounds good." Gilbert agreed. The front door at the top of 5 creaky stairs was locked, the boards on on the windows secure. "Let's try the back."

The rear door was locked as well, but a window for the basement at ground level was broken, already kicked in. Charlie shimmied in backward and then came up and opened the rear door and let them inside. "We're going to set up our EVP recorders on the dias near the altar, and we'll set up the REM Pod in the center of the aisle. Then we can check out the rest of the church." Gilbert said to Moody's camera.

"The basement is super creepy." Charlie told them. "It's completely empty, but it just feels eerie down there."

"Let's start there." Moody said and Gilbert nodded. Gilbert had his camera set to thermal imaging, hoping they would see any hot or cold spots, or possibly something paranormal. Moody and Charlie were using night vision on their cameras. Every few steps they would all take pictures, later they would comb over these for anything out of the norm. The basement door was in a corner of the room at the back of the church, the rear door was in there as well, it looked like it was just a storage room, probably where the minister got ready to deliver sermons. Nine stairs led them down to the basement, Charlie had to keep himself in a stooped position, the ceiling too low to accommodate his stature. It was cold and dank in the basement, and it was empty, no shelves, no boxes or crates. Gilbert immediately noticed something else.

"Do you guys find it weird that there is no garbage down here?" The upper level had a few beer cans, fast food wrappers on the floor and pews. And while they hadn't fully investigated up there yet, it was clear from the garbage and the graffiti that people had used it as a party location in the past. "Think about it, every other place we have gone to, have you ever seen one room completely free of tagging?"

"That is weird." Moody noted, taking pictures of the wall under the window Charlie came in through.

"Is there anyone here?" Charlie asked, holding his EVP recorder. "Don't be afraid. My name is Charlie, this is Gilbert and Moody. We aren't here to cause you any harm."

**"Does it feel colder to you?" Moody asked. It was the end of September, and summer had held on, it was a mild night outside, requiring only a light sweater or a CHAPS hoodie, but inside the basement it felt like December.

"The temperature was 16C when we first came down here, now it is at 12C." Charlie noted. Gilbert was looking at his thermal camera while Charlie asked questions, hoping they would get something that would show up when they listened back, he was filming a far corner of the basement, one that he kept looking at because it felt like someone was staring at him from there. He didn't see anything with his thermal camera, but he swore when he looked with his own eyes, the inky black got darker.

"You guys seeing anything or feeling anything?" He asked. 

"I don't feel like it's just us here." Moody commented. "My anxiety is off the charts"

"It's so cold." Charlie said. "I can see my breath." Gilbert swung around to look at him, it wasn't that cold in here. He could see Charlie on the thermal, bright yellow and orange, the temperature displayed on the thermal said 12C, Moody was standing about a foot behind Gilbert, so it took a few moments for Gilbert to reconcile what he was seeing on the thermal camera. He looked at Charlie with his own eyes, he could see him in the dark room. Charlie was shivering and kept looking to his left nervously, even though there was nothing that could be seen by human eyes, Gilbert could see why on the thermal. There was a huge human shaped cold spot standing right next to Charlie. 

"Charlie I am picking up something next to you." Gilbert said calmly. "It's dark, really cold."

"Could it be a draft from the window?" Moody wondered, walking over to look at the thermal, his eyes growing impossibly wide when he saw the figure on the screen.

"It's warmer outside than in here, a draft couldn't make such a large stationary figure." Gilbert answered.

"What is your name?" Charlie continued, although it was obvious that he was scared. 

"Did you hear that?" Moody asked, his voice dropping to a whisper so they could all hear the slightest noise. "I heard a voice."

There was a flash of light outside the window. "Someone is out there." Charlie whispered. Gilbert noticed the cold spot was gone and the room already felt warmer. **

"Shit, it's gone." He whispered.

"What if it's the cops?" Moody asked them.

"I didn't hear a car. It's not the cops. Probably some kids looking for a party or make out spot." Gilbert said rationally, as the back door to the church opened and they heard footsteps.

"Our gear is upstairs." Moody said and raced up the stairs, the other two guys following. They burst into the storage room to several screams. It was Spirits, Shadows and Spectres, holding their cameras and flashlights. 

"What the fuck?" He heard a woman ask.

"Jesus you scared the shit out of us." Another said clutching her chest.

"What are you doing here?" He asked Diana Barry. Why was she with Anne and her paranormal group.

"Investigating." Anne interrupted. "What are you doing here?"

"The same. You just scared away a potential entity." He growled out at her. "Why are you even here? Paul is out with Tillie, he didn't know about this. Are you following us?"

There was a chorus of angry retorts from the other women before Anne responded. "You wish! You aren't the only people who can see an abandoned church from the highway."

"Pretty coincidental you show up the same night as us." Gilbert retorted.

"Oh my God you're right. What a crazy world we live in that coincidences can happen." She responded sarcastically.

"Well whatever it is, good night. We were here first."

"You don't own this place. You can't tell us what to do." She stood and crossed her arms, physically daring him to do something about it.

"Stop being a brat." He told her.

"I'm being a brat? You have been the asshole here since the very beginning. First you post that horrible accusation, BEFORE contacting us and asking us what's up. Then you insult me at Crumbles..."

"What happened at Crumbles?" One the taller blonde asked, frowning at Gilbert, looking as though she wanted to rip his face off.

"I tried to apologize for that..." He started.

"I don't want to hear your platitudes. You are a horrible person and..."

"Anne..." Diana tried to diffuse the situation.

"No Diana. Maybe he used to be nice when you knew him but now he is a misogynist pig."

"No he isn't." Charlie defended Gilbert. "I have met a lot of those and Gilbert Blythe is not one."

"Did he tell you what he said to me?" Anne stared down Gilbert, while talking to Charlie. "I'm sure Mr. Perfect here would never tell anyone what he said to me. Oh no...that would ruin his nice guy scam."

"It's not a scam...you're right, it was uncalled for and not true..." Everyone stopped speaking and turned their heads toward the door that led to the church, there was a high pitch noise coming from in there. 

"The REM Pod!" Moody cried out and all of them raced into the church to see the REM Pod on the floor all of the lights on the top glowing brightly. 

Something was trying to get their attention.

Anne stared at the REM Pod, she had never seen or heard of one going off without a break for so long, it had to be a full thirty seconds, and still going. She noticed that none of her crew were filming. "Cameras!" She shouted.

"This is our investigation." Gilbert said, looking up from his thermal camera.

"Here's your fucking collaboration." She replied, flicking on her camera. "You lead, we'll film, share anything we get. I promise."

"Deal. You hear that boys? CHAPS just went co-ed. Don't miss anything people. Charlie, start talking." She couldn't help but admire how quickly he adapted, nor could she help but notice his dimples as he grinned. 

"You got our attention. You want to talk?" He asked whatever was making the REM Pod go off. It stopped, going silent for a second before it lit up again. "You seem very eager, I know it can take a lot out of you to use the device, but we really want to talk to you too. If you want to say yes make it go off twice, very short bursts. If the answer is no, one long burt. If you understand me say yes." The machine went dark and after five seconds two quick flashes of light and noise went off. Anne felt chills down her spine, the ones that spread to your body and made your scalp go tight. 

"Are you happy we are here?" Two quick flashes.

"Are you lonely?" Again two bursts. 

"Did you die here in the church?" Charlie asked, a pause and then a long burst to indicate no. Anne saw Gilbert's eyes widen as he stared at the thermal. She moved closer to look over his shoulder. The REM Pod was glowing, but there was a small darker shape next to it, about the size of a cat, it had no form, rather it looked nebulous. 

"Josie get the Xcam out now." She said just loud enough for the other woman to hear. 

"Already using it. Nothing yet."

"Gilbert..." She whispered to him. "It seems small. Maybe a child?" He nodded and spoke up.

"Are you a grown up?" Gilbert asked. One long burst. Charlie nodded his understanding and picked up the questions from there.

"Were you older than ten when you died?" Another long burst. Anne felt her heart squeeze, this was a little kid.

"Were you nine?" A long no followed.

"Eight?" Two quick bursts. 

"Are you a boy?" Two bursts, came after a long pause. 

"He's running out of energy." Gilbert said to them.

"Are you buried in the cemetery?" Again a long pause followed by two bursts for yes, they didn't come as quickly now. Anne notice the cold spot was not showing up on Gilbert's thermal cam anymore. 

"Is that why you are here in the church?" The answer was no, but the REM Pod only had one light come on this time.

"He seems friendly, not like what we felt in the basement." Gilbert said and Anne remembered he had said she scared off their entity.

"Ask if there are others here." She urged him. Charlie heard her and asked. The reply was a yes.

"One more?" Again a yes. 

"Are they young like you?" The no that followed came after nearly a minute, it didn't last long at all. 

"Are they friendly?" After nearly two minutes there was no answer at all. 

"What did you see downstairs?" She asked and all the other women began to ask questions too. Gilbert rewound the thermal camera, letting them all see the massive human shaped cold spot beside Charlie in the basement. 

"Moody was behind me, and there is literally nothing in the basement. No doors, or windows to reflect or dampen the heat."

"Let's go down there." Anne said.

"It's creepy down there." Charlie told them, Moody nodding in agreement.

"Pussies." The one Anne had called Josie scoffed.

"We aren't. We are just letting you know, it's eerie as fuck down there." Charlie defended CHAPS. 

"It's not that big down there." Gilbert told them. 

"Why doesn't this one, go out to the cemetery with Ruby and Jane and see if you can find a grave that might match our young friend in here. The rest of us will go to the basement." Anne pointed at the quiet one.

"Sounds good, keep an eye out, the energy is strong, if the boy didn't die here, and says he isn't here because of the cemetery, there could be more of them around." Gilbert instructed Moody, but Ruby and Jane nodded their understanding too.

**Anne entered the basement first, followed by her girls, CHAPS hanging back and letting them get a feel for the room before they entered it too. It was small, slightly longer than wide, two windows on one wall, high up and impossibly small.

"That's how we got in." Charlie pointed to the small windows.

"Charlie is like a rat, can squeeze himself through all manner of tiny windows and entrances." Gilbert explained. 

"Other than dust, it's really clean." Anne noted out loud.

"I noticed that too, no beer cans, old mattresses or graffiti." Gilbert said, looking at her, as though waiting for her to notice more things.

"There's no spider webs either. When was the last time you went into an abandoned basement and didn't see cobwebs at least?" She noted. "Has someone been cleaning in here?"

"Cleaning spiderwebs but not dust?" Josie asked. 

"I didn't even notice the spider webs...good catch." Gilbert said with respect and she had to bit her own cheek to keep from smiling back under his praise. 

Anne stayed quiet and just let herself feel the room, it was eerie down there. Oppressive was a better word. The air was clean and fresh but she felt like each breath she took in was a struggle. 

"I don't like it down here." Diana said, her hand over her chest like she was having trouble too. 

"I need my puffer." Josie gasped, digging in her bag. Gilbert sprinted over to her and took her by the arm, passing the Xcam to Diana.

"You have asthma?" He asked gently, she nodded. "You have one in your bag? I'm going to touch parts of the bag, nod when I am in the area you normally store it. Stay calm." He found it quickly and helped Josie take it. "Let's get you outside. I'll be right back." Anne watched him lead her upstairs and fought down the panic she felt clawing at her throat. 

"You doing okay Di?"

"Yes."

"Charlie?"

"I'm good."

"Good, start asking questions." She wanted to yell the entity, she was sure it had caused Josie's attack, it had been years since Josie had an episode like that, but she didn't want to provoke it...not yet at least.

"Is there anyone here?" They knew from experience that it could take a while for a spirit to engage with a person asking questions. So they continued to film Charlie while he asked questions. Gilbert came back a few minutes later and resumed filming. Mouthing "She's fine" to Anne and Diana. 

She noticed Gilbert kept looking over to the far corner, he had positioned himself so he was always facing toward it, would look at Charlie, most of the time, but his eyes always slid back to that corner. She took a few pictures of the corner and froze when she thought she saw something in the picture. She went back through the photos, not seeing anything but tried again. 

"I'm going to turn on my flash for a few shots." She warned them so they could avert their eyes from the bright light. Again nothing showed up but she was sure she had seen something there.

"What is it?" Gilbert asked her, noticing her focusing on the corner.

"Something is there, right? You see it."

"I feel it, staring at us. Earlier I thought it was darker there for a moment or two, a shadow in a shadow..." He tried to explain.

"I see it right now."

"I do too. And something else on the Xcam." Diana said, and they moved to look at the camera. There was a stick figure that stretched from floor to ceiling, it's arms up and out as if to make itself larger. 

"What the fuck..." Anne whispered. They all took a step back in unison as it appeared the form on the Xcam moved toward them. The temperature dropped, she could see her breath, as well as those around her. The fear, dread and anticipation built rapidly, the stick figure on the camera ran at them, they felt a freezing cold breeze whoosh past them, heard thudding on the steps, the door slammed at the top of the steps and the REM Pod went off again.

"What was that?" Diana asked and they all stood opened mouth, none of them able to verbalize what had just happened.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The groups are forced to work together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your support! I love you all!!
> 
> This one isn't scary, no warnings.

By the time they reached the main floor the REM Pod was silent again. They went outside and saw that Ruby, Jane and Moody were standing with Josie, several feet away from the church, all of them looked frightened. "What happened?" The two groups asked each other at the same time. 

"Did something happen up here? Out here?" Anne asked.

"I was sitting on the steps, after Gilbert went back inside. These guys were just coming back from the cemetery."

"I got stuck." Jane said, pointing to a hole on the side of her hoodie. "Moody had to help me."

"Anyway..." Josie returned to her story, shooting Jane a look that said stop interrupting. "All of a sudden the front door started shaking and there was knocking on it. It stopped and we could hear the REM Pod, the others had just joined me at the bottom of the stairs, as soon as the REM Pod turned off, we heard...a snarl?"

""More like a growl." Ruby supplied, Anne noted that Ruby was standing very close to Moody, and filed that away to ponder over later.

"But not like a dog." Jane added in. "It seemed like it came from something bigger than a dog."

"LIke a bear!" Moody gave his opinion. "Like it was coming from deep in the chest of a large animal. It was definitely threatening."

"I'm not proud of it, but we literally ran away." Josie admitted to them.

"I may have peed a bit." Jane also admitted, Ruby her eyes large also nodded to indicate she peed a bit too.

"Why has no one ever talked about this haunting?" Gilbert asked no one in particular. "This is a small island...surely someone would have encountered the boy, or the basement spirit."

"No one seems to go in the basement. If they do, they probably don't stay long." Diana said.

"The little boy doesn't seem threatening, maybe the people that had encounters weren't even aware, they could have been drunk or high." Josie said.

"Guys we need to come back here and do a real investigation. Set up cameras, motion sensors, research, go into Eldon and ask the locals..." Anne felt her brain spinning. This was probably the most interaction she had been a part of with a paranormal entity. She had thought the guys were faking it for a second, but there was no way to mess with the equipment the women brought with them. She had felt the dread in the basement, she had seen the darkness...getting darker with her own eyes. Something was in that church.

"Hold up, this was ours first." Charlie said.

"Gilbert agreed to a collaboration!" Anne countered.

"That was before we knew how active it was here. This could be huge, this could go worldwide. Why would we share that with you?" Charlie asked her. And he had a point, would she be so willing to share the glory with CHAPS if the situations were reversed?

"It's okay Charlie. This is too big for us alone. They've got some equipment we don't and they have Cole." Gilbert said to his friend, and Anne felt some of her worry ease. What would they do it CHAPS had refused to work with them? Try and beat them there and get dibs each night?

"Who is Cole?" Moody asked.

"He's a wonderful artist, he is so talented. For my birthday he drew a picture of me and framed it. It looks like it could be in a museum..." Ruby's adoration of Cole caused Moody to frown, this would need to be nipped in the bud. There was no way she was risking another Paul/Tillie situation.

"He is also a medium." Anne told Moody. "I agree that we are going to need him. I won't be able to sleep, I'm going to go over our footage, see if anything shows up we missed."

"I don't think any of us are going to sleep tonight." Gilbert said, looking back over his shoulder at the church. Feeling a chill down his spine as he felt unseen eyes watching him.

"You guys should come back to our place for a bit, we can see what happened before we arrived and we can talk about the actual details of this. Posting, credits...that sort of thing." Diana suggested sweetly. Anne wasn't sure how she felt about them entering their "Bat Cave" but she saw the necessity of it.

"Yeah...you guys down?" Gilbert asked Moody and Charlie, both of them nodded.

"I'll ride with Moo...CHAPS and show them how to get to our place." Ruby volunteered. 

"No I need you with me Ruby, they can use Google maps. See you back at the house." 

"I have a question." Moody spoke up, all eyes turned to him. "Who is going to go back inside and get the REM Pod and EVP recorder?"

"We got it on our way out...by the way, you guys are going to freak out when you see what happened down in the basement." Charlie told Moody.

"We parked at the gas station." Ruby was telling Moody. He told her they were on a side road in the opposite direction.

Anne turned to Gilbert, who was looking back at the church. "This is going to change everything." She said.

"I think you're right." He replied, finally turning around to face her. "After tonight, nothing will ever be the same."

They lived in a large house close to campus, only about a ten minute drive from their own apartment, in one of those gingerbread houses that was sky blue with white trim. The porch was screened, it had a little couch with pillows on it, a couple of mismatched chairs and a table. Jane let them in, leading them past a living room filled with comfortable looking furniture, a bookshelf filled with books, plants, and a fluffy grey cat laying on floor by the entrance. 

The walls of the hallway were filled with framed photos of women and their families and friends, he heard them before they got to the room.

"I don't think four will be enough, we usually eat three to ourselves, you've got three large guys." Josie was saying.

"Moody is quite tall." He heard Ruby say and shot a look at Moody who was smiling and blushing. He was going to have to make sure that Moody understood not to pull a Paul and share any details with Ruby...even by accident.

"Okay, we get six." Anne sounded exasperated. "But I don't give a shit about toppings. Two cheese, two veggie and two meat lovers. If you don't like I don't care."

"Get dipping sauces." Ruby said.

"Can we get some wings?" Gilbert asked as they entered the room, stopping and staring mouth agape when he saw their tech room. It was everything he had ever dreamed of. They had a few laptops, three desktops and seven monitors, cameras, K II meters, a ghost box, EMF readers and infrared thermometers.

"For God's sake don't drool on their equipment." Charlie said to him, startling him from his fantasy, of having all that tech.

"Dude...ask it on a date first." Josie teased.

Sorry...you guys have a lot of toys."

"You haven't even seen my nightstand, don't be too impressed yet." Josie winked at him and he blushed when he realised she was talking about sex toys.

"We do have a lot of tech. The Xcam is the newest addition." Diana told Gilbert, Anne was ordering the food online.

"You guys must be getting a lot of views." He knew they were.

"We are, but hey...with what we experienced earlier, I think you guys will too." 

"I can't even begin to put it into words."

"It's obviously all we talked about on the ride back. We are all struggling to verbalize what we experienced."

"Why did you guys decide to go there? It's weird that both of our groups did."

"Jane and Josie noticed it a few months ago, we hadn't heard anything about it so we didn't really plan to do a full investigation. We were sitting around bored and decided to check it out."

"That's pretty much how we ended up there too."

"Pizza is ordered. Let's sort out an agreement and then we can get to the biggest paranormal event any of us will likely see." Anne announced.

By the time the pizza had arrived they had agreed to a a deal that would see them combining forces and resources. Gilbert was aware that CHAPS could have fought for more exclusivity with the footage, but he knew they needed Cole and that Xcam footage, so he was willing to let them have more content than he wanted to. After receiving more than a dozen messages from their friends, Tillie and Paul showed up in the middle of the negotiations, confused as to what the two groups were doing together and making a contract to do an investigation together. 

When they all huddled around the computer screen to watch first CHAPS's footage from the basement, Gilbert ate a slice of meat lover's pizza while standing near the edge of the group, he wanted to see their reactions, especially Paul and Tillie who hadn't seen anything yet.   
"What the fuck is that?" Asked Paul as the large cold spot was on the screen next to Charlie. 

"Keep watching." Moody instructed. 

"You guys are pranking us." Tillie announced in the middle of the REM Pod interaction with the little boy.

"Tillie, have you ever known me to joke about this stuff?" Anne asked.

"Holy Shit!" Tillie cried out as they looked at the Xcam footage. "How big is that?"

Gilbert was understandably excited to find out not only had Moody but Josie, Ruby and Jane had left their cameras running when they had their experience out front of the church, the growl being picked up on all their devices. 

"Before we continue, I hope that we can count on all of you to be professional and alert at all times." Anne looked at Tillie, Paul, Ruby and Moody. "Save your flirting for after the investigation.

"How come I didn't get a warning?" Charlie asked Gilbert, who just snorted and shook his head. "I can flirt. I can!" Charlie insisted. 

Then they began to research and plan, and review the footage, frame by frame, and listen to all the recording devices, for any voices or interactions they hadn't heard or weren't there to hear. They planned to go back the next day, set up recording devices, they really wanted to see if there was any activity during the day, or when the church was empty, which was going to require them to monitor the place, so they wouldn't get their stuff stolen. Anne, Gilbert, Diana, Jane Charlie and Paul would set up the tech, Ruby, Josie, Tillie and Moody would head into Eldon and do the research, ask questions to the locals.

"It's going to be hard to fall asleep." Gilbert told Anne as she walked them to the door. It was after 2am and they had plans to meet back at her house at 10am the next day. 

"I don't know if I will ever be able to sleep again. My brain will not stop going."

"Mine too. Try and get some sleep, you know how these things can feed off your energy."

"You too." She said, he turned to leave and he thought he should apologize for what he had said at Crumbles, he almost did, but he decided 2:12am was not the time to add those memories and emotions to what Anne was already feeling. He would do it tomorrow...later today before the investigation began.

He waved goodnight to Paul, who had his own car and apartment, climbed into Moody's car, in the back seat, buckled up and laid his head back against the seat. 

"She is really pretty too." Moody was saying. "And super brave, and she seems really smart."

"She does." Charlie agreed. "I can't believe we are all going to have girlfriends." That got Gilbert's attention.

"What? Who's getting girlfriends?"

"Us! Come on Gil, Paul will have Tillie." Charlie answered.

"They are just hooking up." Gilbert countered.

"For now. Ruby is already halfway in love with Moody."

"About that..."

"Josie flirted with you all night, and I saw the way you rushed over to her during her asthma attack."

"I'm premed." Gilbert said.

"And I think Anne would make a great girlfriend. She's pretty, has nice teeth and has great child bearing hips." Gilbert felt his heart drop. Charlie was interested in Anne? Why did that make Gilbert angry and scared at the same time? He shoved those feelings down, he would think about that later.

"No! None of us are dating those women. This has to stay professional. You will get distracted and sloppy and make mistakes. This could be the biggest thing to happen to us. Do not fuck it up!" He told them both. "And Charlie those were horrible things to decide who you want to be your girlfriend...child bearing hips...you sound so sexist."

He tried to ignore his own twinge of shame, his words to Anne ringing in his head.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They return to the church.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think there is anything frightening at all in this chapter, but I did creep myself out. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading, commenting and leaving kudos!

"Well that peace treaty lasted longer than I thought." Diana said to Josie, who nodded and watched Anne and Gilbert argue. 

It was 10:15am, they were still out front of the blue gingerbread house that Spirits, Shadows and Spectres lived in. The men had arrived a few minutes before 10, with coffee from Tim Hortons for everyone. 

"We got a couple of dozen donuts here too." Moody announced, stuffing a maple dip into his mouth.

"How thoughtful of you all." Ruby told him. Moody grinned at her and held the box open for Ruby to choose one, she chose a vanilla sprinkle, and Gilbert thought that the donut suited her perfectly. Tillie couldn't decide between the honey dip and the double chocolate, going back and forth over the two for a while, before Charlie reached in and took the chocolate dip, leaving the honey dip for her. Josie took the blueberry old fashion, he was beginning to see a correlation between donut choice and personality. Josie had a very dry sense of humour and chose what Gilbert believed to be a "dry ass" donut. Paul chose boston cream, his favourite kind, Diana took a Canadian Maple and then the first fight began when both Anne and Gilbert reached for the apple fritter.

"I paid for them." Gilbert frowned.

"So what? You offered them to us." She said.

"So that's my favourite, I always have the apple fritter. I picked it out for myself."

"Then you shouldn't have included it in the community box, you can't call dibs on a donut. And I always eat an apple fritter too." She told him, the girls nodded in agreement. 

What was with this girl that had him on the verge of shouting all the time? He couldn't remember the last time he had a real argument with anyone else...yet he was on number three with Anne. And over food, when he had more than enough donuts for everyone.

"Fine...you're right. As a peace offering, please take the donut of your choice." He tried to say as sincerely as he could.

"Thank you Gilbert." She replied formally and picked up the fritter and took a huge bite. Gilbert took a glazed old fashion, needing to swallow coffee after every dry, miserable bite.

"Alright, so Cole has plans for most of the day, but he said he could swing by around 4, which I think is actually better for us. We can do the research, set up the cameras and be more familiar with everything before Cole arrives.

"How do we know one of you won't send a message to this "psychic" once you have some information?" Charlie asked. Gilbert sighed audibly. Charlie was a good investigator, very thorough but sometimes Gilbert wanted to smack him in the back of the head. Of course they couldn't be certain that SSS wouldn't feed information to Cole to fake his powers, but with what was already observed at the church...they didn't need to fake anything. He didn't need Charlie accusing them of anything untoward, especially after Gilbert's own blunder...blunders.

"Excuse me?" Anne whipped her head toward Charlie. "I don't know how you guys do things but we never falsify data, that includes whatever Cole is able to add to the investigations. We don't supply him with anything except an address."

"Well that's all well and good, how do you know he doesn't research ahead of time?"

"Charlie shut up." Paul muttered.

"We don't, that is true but, I trust Cole. And I have been there with him a few times, in non paranormal settings and he has known things that no one could."

"Charlie, give him a chance." Gilbert requested. Anne smiled gratefully at Gilbert, and he nodded back. This would be easy, he would keep things between the two groups nice and friendly...but no too friendly, and him and the boys would be part of what could be the biggest paranormal footage ever. This could be proof of afterlife. He was dragged out of his thoughts of glory by Anne.

"So I've been thinking, maybe Gilbert should be part of the research team going to Eldon."

"What?" Gilbert asked.

"Let's face it, you are one of the smartest here. Diana told me that you were always the smartest when you were growing up. And I have seen your investigations, people open up to you."

"That is kind of you and Diana to say, but I am the leader of CHAPS and I want to be at the church..."

"I just don't think you are needed for the set up." She said dismissively.

"The fuck I'm not."

"Gilbert..." Moody tried.

"Very mature." Anne told Gilbert.

"Why should I act mature, when you are clearly trying to get rid of me so you can control the whole thing?" He accused her.

"Even if I was, can't your big ol' man ego take orders from a woman?" Anne asked him, taking a step toward him. "Or does it hurt your feelings too much...make you feel impotent?"

"I have no problems taking orders from a woman. But seeing how this investigation IS being run by me....I guess I have to ask. Can you take orders from a man without turning into a feminazi?" He took a step toward her now. 

"Whoa...let's all have another donut." Moody tried to offer them donuts, only to have Anne shove them back.

"Feminazi! There it is. I knew you were a misogynist. Any sign of a strong independent woman, capable of leading and making intelligent decisions and you get up in her face and try to intimidate her with your wide shoulders and muscular chest. I'm sure we are just moments away from actual chest thumping and the comparing of who has the biggest balls."

"Well that peace treaty lasted longer than I thought." He heard Diana say from the side somewhere, he should listen to her, he should step back and let it go...instead he said,

"When I see a woman capable of intelligent decision making, I'll let you know." They were face to face now, only inches separating them. He could see her carotid artery pounding in her neck, her lips, despite the tight frown they were in, looked so soft and pink, if he just...just what? He asked himself.

"You...I hate you!" She announced and stormed over to the red minivan that was already packed with all their gear. "Let's go."

He regretted it again. He had said things he truly never thought about anyone before. But she pushed his buttons and he couldn't stop himself from pushing back.

"Yeah let's go." He told them all, they were awkwardly looking at the ground, sky...Moody was studying the donuts. 

"I thought you two were going to kiss for a second." Jane said to him as she made her way to the van. He shook his head, but hadn't he wanted to?

He would take a moment later when they were both calmer to apologize. 

When they got to the church to unload the gear, they found they could park their cars behind the cemetery, concealed from the eyes of passing cars, that would save them from having to park their cars far from the investigation. They had left the back door unlocked so no one would have to climb through the basement window again, and had previously planned out which camera and tech would be set up, and where in the church, tape marked all the gear owned by SSS and CHAPS, so there would be no mix up when they ended the investigation. 

Anne, Gilbert and Charlie went to the basement first, taking pictures in the light streaming in through the windows, before setting up a camera and motion detector, and an EVP recorder. During set up they purposely tried not to interact with anything, so they even kept their communication with each other to a minimum. As soon as they finished they went up stairs and saw that Diana, Jane and Paul, had most of the set up ready in there, so she went out to the van to get their command center ready, Gilbert and Charlie following. 

In it were the monitors that would air the live camera footage inside the church, as well as allow for playback if they saw something. When the others were finished, they made minor angle adjustments, until they had a camera filming every inch of the church.

"We couldn't really see the names on the stones last night, even with flashlights. Why don't we try now? I brough paper and charcoal incase we need to do rubbings to see the names and dates." Jane suggested. They climbed over the fence, near the back where they were parked, Anne surveyed the cemetery, it held about fifty headstones, many of them faded from time and erosion, some on their sides.

"Let's do it row by row." Diana suggested. Each one of them took a row and checked each grave marker, looking for a boy under the age of ten, sometimes spirits didn't know their exact ages or birthdates. 

They found three names that could be their spirit. Stephen Thomas - May 20, 1874 - December 11, 1884, Jonathan Harrison - April 29, 1850 - September 24, 1859, and Benjamin Foster July 3, 1903 to September 22, 1911. There were a few older and younger that could also be the one they were looking for. 

"Has anyone else noticed a lot of people died in second half of September?" Jane asked, looking at a couple of headstones.

"Now that you mentioned it, half the people in this row did." Diana answered.

"All but two in this one." Charlie said.

"Only one here." Paul called out.

"More than half here." Gilbert said.

"I have about a third here...that is weird right? Didn't people mostly die in the winter and spring back then?" Anne thought out loud.

"Even now, most deaths occur in December and January, September is one of the months with significantly lower death rates." Gilbert told them. She felt an ice cold chill through her body and she had a thought...one she didn't want to speak out loud...not this close to the church. The look on the faces of the others told her they were all thinking the same thing. 

Could the presence in the basement have caused it somehow? 

"It's September 27th." Paul realised. Anne felt another cold shiver wash over here...another coincidence.

They took shifts watching the cameras, two people in the back of the van for thirty minutes at a time. The others kicked around a soccer ball, sat in camp chairs doing school work, played on their phones and talked.

Josie had texted Anne around 1pm to let her know they were bringing back lunch and had found out some interesting stuff. They arrived less than an hour later, shopping bags filled with supermarket prepared sandwiches, and cold drinks. Charlie and Paul took their turn in the van, watching the screens, headphones on one ear, the other ear uncovered so they could hear what the research uncovered.

Anne was reaching for the last meatball sub when she saw Gilbert reaching for it too. They stared at each other for a few moments, each one waiting for the other to explode. He finally grabbed a ham and cheese and walked over to his camp chair by Moody. She found she didn't want the sub anymore but took it anyway.

"Eldon is so small, there was only a gas station and supermarket, in the same building. No library, no newspaper. No one was at the new church there. We asked a few teenagers that came into the store if they knew anything, they just said that their parents told them the old church here was dangerous. So we headed to Belfast, it's a bit bigger and had a library, and a few locals on the streets were willing to talk." Josie told them, pausing to take a bite of her sandwich.

"I found a story about a boy named Benjamin Foster, His family lived about three miles down the road, close to where the gas station is. He died when he was playing in the cornstalks and his dad accidentally cut him with a scythe while cutting down stalks." Moody told them.

"Oh no...poor kid, he's one of the kids buried in the cemetery. So an accident?" Anne said.

"Yeah, there were a few witnesses that testified to the accident so no charges were laid against the father." Josie picked the story back up.

"Tell them about Malefics." Ruby said, barely looking up from her sandwich.

"For years the people of Eldon and surrounding community spoke about Malefic. An evil wind that blows through here in September." Josie started to explain. Anne felt those all too familiar shivers, a knot was starting to form in her stomach...were they in actual danger? "The Malefics is a cold, rush of air...so cold it will steal your soul and kill you. It was a curse on them from the ancestors of Mi'kmaq people they had killed and injured, while forcing them off the land that became Eldon. The ancestor spirits were angry that the settlers had stolen the land, they sent the Malefic to remind them every harvest, to never forget the crime they commited. At least that was in the journal entry for Marion Eldon, great granddaughter of the founder of the community said."

"There are a shit ton of people in that cemetery that died in September." Jane told them, Anne could hear the fear in her voice.

"They aren't the only ones. I was able to find some old records online, since they started keeping records a third of the population in this area died in September. A lot of people take vacation the last two weeks of September." Tillie said. "Even the schools here shut down, despite the fact that it only starts the day after Labour Day."

"A lot of businesses close down during this time and people avoid this place." Ruby said pointing at the church.

"In Belfast there was a guy working at the library, he told me when he was in highschool, a few kids claimed to have partied here, they said they heard banging on the walls and something bit some of them. He also told us the last person to die in September was six years ago, but that it was usually every three or four years, so..." Tillie trailed off.

"So what you're saying is, it's overdue." Gilbert said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the donut flavours are Tim Hortons donuts....they don't do anything too fancy there. 
> 
> Anne and Gilbert are not being their best here, forgive them both for their nasty words...neither means it.
> 
> Eldon and Belfast are small communities in PEI, but I have totally made up the Malefic and the ancestors curse, and the church.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are still investigating at the church.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is entirely in Gilbert's POV. I may make the next one in Anne's IDK yet. I don't think this is scary so I am not putting up warnings.
> 
> Thanks to all of you who are reading this, commenting and leaving kudos! It is so very much appreciated. 
> 
> When I started this I didn't think I would go this deep...but here we are. I hope no Mi'kmaq or Indigenous people are offended, that is not my intent. This isn't to mock or vilify any cultures or beliefs and this is completely made up, there is no Malefic, I made it up.

Anne was in the van with Ruby, watching the cameras inside the church, it was close to five and Cole would be arriving soon, Gilbert and Anne would do the walk through with Cole, and then they would start the investigation. Gilbert didn't think it was safe for them to go into the church with the amount of tension between them. That kind of negative energy could be dangerous, and if there was even a miniscule amount of truth to the story of the Malefic then they had to clear things up and try and have a respectful working relationship. 

"Hey Ruby, I need to talk to Anne about how we should proceed when Cole gets here, I'll take over for you." He said.

"Sure Gilbert." Ruby grinned but he noticed Anne frown and keep her eyes on the screen. He sat down next to her and put on the headphones, keeping one ear uncovered so he could hear anything Anne said.

"Anne, I need to apologize, what I said to you at Crumbles, it's definitely not true. I was hurt and jealous, I lashed out and what I said wasn't just a lie, it was cruel, and demeaning and undermined all your well earned accomplishments."

"Jealous?" Her face twisted with confusion. "You were jealous of what?"

"Yes jealous. Of you and your crew. I liked all your videos, watched them all and if you go back and look, my personal account has liked, subscribed and commented, but I was jealous. You were newer, less experienced but you were getting more attention, more subscribers, the latest tech, national news coverage...everything I had wanted and more." He looked at the screen, since she was looking at him, he still had to do his job here.

"Oh..."

"So there I was...pretty envious, and then the Paul and Tillie thing. I saw red and acted immaturely. I apologize for that too. I should have been an adult and spoke with you privately first. When you turned down the collaboration, I was upset, I felt rejected and I wanted to hurt you. I know I succeeded at that and I am really, very sorry for saying it. I promise you I don't think those things about you and your society, I have never said anything like that in my life to anyone, I am actually ashamed that I said them. My dad would be so disappointed in me, and I am disappointed in myself." He kept his eyes on the screen.

"Thank you." She replied softly, looking back at the screens. After several moments she spoke again. "I know I can be a control freak, I don't want this to sound like a sob story, but I and every woman out there has faced a lot of insulting comments and ideas about us and what we do. When I heard about the collaboration I got my back up, I wasn't willing to concede an ounce of control to you or any man. I could have been kinder when I said no."

"You were perfectly fine when you said no. I should never have said that comment about fapping. God, no wonder you hate me."

"I don't hate you...I don't even know you. Let's just start fresh, we are working together and if we forget about our shouting matches, it hasn't been that bad."

"It hasn't. Let's promise to talk before we raise our voices." He felt the tension headache he was feeling, start to evaporate.

"I promise. I should probably warn you though...I do have a quick temper."

"I hadn't noticed." He chuckled. "It normally takes a lot to get me angry, and I honestly can't even remember the last time I yelled at somebody. And over an apple fritter? I am mortified."

"Not our finest moment." She agreed and he saw her smiling out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry I tried to put you on research. I did it to be petty."

"I deserved it."

"My personal account subscribed to CHAPS too. You guys are the reason we even started this. We loved what you were doing and the fact that you were local boys, from the island...if you could do it, so could we. We never expected it to be so successful." She told him and he felt a surge of pride, they had inspired them?

"I'm sure it had nothing to do with four handsome men." A voice behind them said, they both turned around, Cole was standing in the open side door of the van.

"Cole!" She threw off the headphones and practically leaped into his arms, legs around his waist, head buried in his shoulder. Gilbert frowned, his jaw clenched and turned back to the screens. 

"We'll take over Gil, so you and Anne can talk to Cole." Paul said as he climbed into Anne's spot and Jane stood by the door, waiting for Gilbert's spot. 

"Thanks Paul, thanks Jane." He climbed out and moved toward the group of women surrounding Cole. After a while Cole managed to release the arms they had around him and approach Gilbert, hand out in greeting.

"The infamous Gilbert Blythe."

"Infamous? I don't know about that. Nice to finally meet you." Gilbert took Cole's hand and shook it.

"I'm surprised it's taken this long, I thought you might call me in for a case. "

"I have been tempted, but I didn't want to look like I was poaching you from them."

"Yeah...Anne doesn't like to share." Cole said with an easy smile, he cocked his head to the side and nodded. "But that won't be a problem now will it?"

"Cole stop trying to read Gilbert." Anne said, looping her arm through his. "Not everyone wants you to look inside their brain or talk to their dead relatives."

"Is that how it works? I've wondered." Gilbert said to Cole.

"Sometimes." Cole answered.

"Cole can draw what the spirits show him." Ruby exclaimed, coming up to Cole's other side. "One time I lost a bracelet that my Aunt Penny gave me for my sweet sixteen, I looked everywhere and thought maybe I had lost it on campus and would never see it again. Then I asked Cole and he sat right down and drew a picture of where the bracelet was."

"What did he draw?" Gilbert asked. 

"The shoe rack in my closet. When I went there to look, the bracelet was tangled in the laces of my winter boots."

"Well...I'll know who to call next time I lose something." Gilbert joked. 

"Anne will help you find the next thing you lose." Cole said cryptically. Gilbert looked at Anne and she was wearing a confused look that matched the way he felt. Why did Cole mean by that?

"So you ready to get down to why I am here?" Cole asked them both. "Don't tell me anything." He said to Gilbert and Moody and Charlie. 

Anne and Gilbert grabbed their cameras, it was still light outside so they didn't need night vision and the cameras inside were already recording in infrared. 

"We're going to need the Xcam." Cole instructed them. While Diana went to get the Xcam from the van, Cole removed his jacket, putting it in the back seat of his car. He also removed his sunglasses, watch and a ring he was wearing, he laid them all on top of the jacket. Then he emptied his pockets and put everything else inside the car, and grabbed a sketch pad and pencil from a leather bag and shut the door, leaving it unlocked. 

"Should we go inside?" Anne asked him.

"Not yet." Cole led them around the church and out to the road out front. He stood there, looking at the church, then down the road. 

He took a deep breath. "There is so much sadness here. I can hear so many people crying." He looked down the road again, in the same direction. "There is a very strong presence here, I can see a huge looming shadow that covers the entire church and land all around it. Sometimes the shadow spreads out into the community. Benji was the easiest."

Gilbert felt his heart skip a beat. Was Cole talking about Benjamin Foster? The one that died just down the road. He said nothing just kept filming Cole. 

"Benji didn't even know it happened, and he didn't get stuck here. He moved on immediately, he is so happy there. It wasn't an accident, Petna's'g caused it, it takes only a second to make the scythe come down."

"Cole what is Petna's'g?" Anne asked, trying to repeat the word Cole had said. 

"Cold wind." Cole replied simply. 

Walking toward the church. He stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the church. "I thought it wouldn't want me here, normally these things are afraid of me. This one wants me here." He walked up the stairs and opened the door.

"Did we unlock that?" Gilbert asked Anne, she shook her head. He grabbed his walkie talkie and spoke into it. "Charlie?"

"Yeah?" Came Charlie's voice. 

"Check the footage from the front door of the church. Zoom in on the lock."

"Got it." Charlie answered, then Anne Gilbert and Diana followed Cole inside the church.

Cole was standing next to the REM Pod, it was in the same place it had been the night before, he was smiling. "Jonathan is telling me he is happy you aren't shouting today. It scared him last night." Jonathan Harrison, one of the three names they had discovered in the cemetery, he had died in 1859, he had been trapped here for 161 years with the Malefic.

"Sorry Jonathan." Anne said.

"We'll try not to do it again." Gilbert said.

"He wants to kick the ball too." Cole told them.

"Moody's soccer ball." Diana guessed. 

"When we are finished here, I'll bring it in for you to play with." Gilbert promised. He thought he felt a tug on the hem of his pants, looked down and saw nothing. A moment later Anne gasped.

"It's not nice to pull people's hair Jonathan." Anne told the young spirit.

"He is so lonely. Almost no one comes here anymore, and when they do they don't stay long, or they are loud and drunk. Petna's'g scares them away."

Gilbert made a silent promise to come and visit Jonathan again if they couldn't help him pass on. "How did he die?" 

"He was climbing the ladder in their barn, Petna's'g scared him, he fell...the bone pierced the skin below his knee, once the infection set it, there was nothing they could do for him. He died hearing his mother's sobs and the laughter of Petna's'g ." 

"Why do you call it that? Petna's'g and not the Mal..."

"Don't say that name in here...don't make it stronger. I use the name the Mi'kmaq used, there is a protective power in that word." Cole warned.

Gilbert felt his heart break for the child, dying from infection could be long and painful...hearing the laughter of a dark entity, the one that caused your death...how had Jonathan not become an angry spirit?

"Cole will we be able to help him?" Gilbert couldn't help but ask. "He's been here over a 160 years."

"I'm not sure. Petna's'g is keeping him here, I'm not sure how." Cole told them.

"If it is that strong, why aren't there others?" Anne asked.

"There are, there are so many here." Cole said sadly. "I think it's time I met Petna's'g"


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole leads them down into the basement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The beginning is definitely scary. I will put up ** to warn you what to skip ahead to, if you want. 
> 
> I am starting to worry this is going to get out of control. I'm on chapter seven and I am afraid this could keep going to thirty chapters. YIKES!!
> 
> Thanks as always for your support! I love you all!!!!

**They moved through the chapel, into the small room that held the door to the cellar, Cole stood at the top of the stairs, peering down. "It's so loud down here." He said as he began to descend the stairs. Anne heard nothing but the birds outside, the creak of their feet on the stairs and her own blood pounding in her ears. She didn't want to admit it, would never admit it to anyone, but she didn't want to go back into that basement. She couldn't recall being this afraid before, but she took a deep breath and followed Cole down, Diana behind her, and Gilbert bringing up the rear. 

Cole was sketching in his book, staring at the corner of the room where they had felt the presence of the Malefic. The bright sunshine outside lit up the room and the darkness that had blanketed the corner the night before, was not there, but Anne still felt like she could sense it watching her. "It doesn't like people to come down here, it doesn't like anything alive here, even the flies won't come in." He pointed at the broken window. 

"Anne noticed there were no spiderwebs down here." Gilbert said to Cole.

"They won't come here either, animals can sense it. Most humans can too, they feel uncomfortable or have trouble concentrating, focusing or breathing, but they ignore it for a while at least."

"We all felt it, it was hard to breathe, Josie had an asthma attack." Diana told him.

"It has a special fondness for hurting women." Cole told them.

"Are you guys picking anything up?" Gilbert asked. Anne shook her head, she wasn't getting anything on her camera, there was no signs of elevated EMFs in the room, temperature was a consistent 18C. Diana also shook her head, looking at the Xcam.

"Can you tell us about it?" Anne asked Cole. "It's it a curse?"

"Yes and no. The Mi'kmaq suffered many injustices at the hands of the European settlers, they cried out for their ancestors to help them. The ancestors saw the cruelty of the settlers, so they created Petna's'g, it is a reflection of that cruelty."

"I don't understand." Diana said.

"Had the settlers stopped stealing the land, raping the women, killing the Mi'kmaq, stealing their children, Petna's'g could not have grown so strong, would not still be here. Every act of cruelty they commited, it fed Petna's'g until it was strong enough to hurt them, to keep their souls trapped here."

"Temp is dropping." Gilbert said. Anne noticed it was now 16C, the dread she had felt the night before was returning.

"I see you there. You can't hide from me." Cole said calmly, still sketching in his book. 

"Guys we're seeing a cold spot forming." Jane's voice came over the walkie talkie. Anne didn't have to ask where, she couldn't see it but her body knew it was there, in it's favourite corner. Every hair on her body stood up, her heart was already racing became incredibly fast, the fight or flight instinct was telling her to run. She held her ground. 

"I'm getting it on the Xcam." Diana told them, Anne could hear the fear in her friend's voice, she wanted to hug her and tell her it would be alright, but she stayed where she was.

"It's about to show off. Don't say anything or move until I say so." Cole instructed.

"Petna's'g you are not welcomed here. You have no power over us, we are shielded in the white light of love and serenity." Cole spoke. "Leave this place, release those that you hold here, allow them to pass on." The only answer was a low growl, it seemed to come from all around them. It hurt...she felt like the growl had been inside her head, and felt it through her body. Her brain was suddenly aching, and she felt dizzy from the sharp stabbing pain. "It's time to leave." Cole told them. Anne allowed him to herd her up the stairs, halfway up they heard a deep cruel laugh.**

"Anne!" Gilbert said, taking her arm and leading her quickly out the back door, away from the church and grabbing her chin and looking into her eyes. 

"What are you doing?" She asked, pushing his hands away. The pain was starting to ease and she could take a true deep breath again. 

"Your nose...it's bleeding." He said, fumbling with his camera, while he searched his pockets, finally pulling out a napkin from Tim Hortons, holding it to her nose, instructing her to tilt her head back. 

"I've never had a bloody nose before." She told him, suddenly feeling light headed, she swayed a bit and she felt Cole's arm go around her waist to help her stand, Gilbert's face disappearing to the grey dots that were suddenly filling her vision. "I think I'm going to be sick." She told them. She was being guided to sit down, a camp chair appearing under her and she collapsed gratefully into it. 

"Normally I would tell you to put your head between your knees, but with that nosebleed, I'm going to say, lean back, close your eyes and try and breathe slowly and evenly." She heard Gilbert saying. She could feel him applying another napkin or tissue to her nose. "That's right. Here have a sip of juice." She opened her eyes and saw he was holding a bottle of apple juice and she took it from him and sipped it.

"I'm fine, I don't need to be fussed over." She said.

"Just let him. He's going to be a doctor and he lives for the chance to be Dr. Blythe." She heard Moody saying from behind her somewhere.

"Doctor huh? Aren't you types supposed to be skeptics?" She studied his face while he watched her.

"After all the things I have seen...full blown believer here. Your colour is returning."

"I've never fainted before, I think I almost did." She said. 

"It was awful down there. My head is killing me." Diana said and Anne saw she was in a chair too, being cared for by Ruby and Cole. 

"It wanted to show you its power. It laughed at us." Gilbert said.

"Gilbert is right. Its taunting us, proving that it can hurt us. We are going to need to be better prepared when we go back in there. I have to make a phone call." Cole told them, walking toward his car.

"You okay to walk yet? There are a few things you guys need to see." Josie told them. Anne nodded and Josie took her arm to help her. Diana looked much better than Anne felt and was walking on her own.

Paul was in the van with Jane still, Charlie had joined them, squeezing into a small tight spot beside Jane, behind the driver's seat, his impossibly long legs, almost tucked into his chin.

"Shit you guys okay?" Jane asked Anne and Diana.

"Getting there, what did you guys get?" She asked them.

"Well we checked the lock like Gilbert asked." Paul said queuing up a video on a monitor. Anne noticed Gilbert step beside her and lean in the van for a better look. "You can see the deadbolt flipping, right about the time Cole arrived." He replayed it a few times, zooming in so they could see it clearly. "Thermals didn't catch anything."

She couldn't believe it, all her investigations and research had shown her cold spots, figures on the Xcam, but nothing like this, the power to open a deadbolt. "We'll have to test how easy it is to unlock the door, to be sure it wasn't just coincidence."

"What else did you guys find?" Gilbert asked.

"Just watch." Paul pulled up the next clip, it was a close up of Anne, standing in the church filming Cole, Paul zoomed in and you could see a ruffle in her ponytail and then it yanked, as though being pulled. "We went back to watch when you both mentioned Jonathan touching you. Here is the cold spot that formed in the basement." Paul said, it wasn't as big as the night before but it was pretty freaking huge.

"This is what Diana got on the Xcam." Jane said. There it was, the large figure from ceiling to floor, just standing there. "We got the growl and the laughing." Jane said. "Do you want to hear it again?"

She didn't...not at all but she had a responsibility to do this right. She nodded and braced herself to hear it again. The sound of it made her feel nauseous again, she felt her mouth begin to water, the tell tale sign she would throw up, she swallowed it down, set a steadying hand on her stomach and told them to replay it. 

"Did you hear that?" Jane said frowning, replaying it again, Anne listened closer and she did hear something. "It said something."

"Can you clean it up? Or isolate?" Anne asked. Jane clicked a few keys, Paul leaning over and offering her some help. She played it again, there it was clear as day. Four words, that chilled her to the bone, she looked at the confused face of Gilbert, he didn't understand the threat at all, she locked eyes with Diana, tears forming in both their eyes. 

"Princess Cordelia dies tonight." It had threatened. 

"You need to leave." Gilbert said calmly.

"Absolutely not." Anne answered, keeping her voice calm too, although she was terrified, freaking out and wanted to flee back to Charlottetown, to the safety of her home and her bed.

"Anne, Gilbert may be right." Diana said.

"I can't let it scare me off."

"Yes you can. This is serious. It causes people's deaths and traps them here." Gilbert argued.

"And that is why I need to be here, to help them."

"Are you crazy, let's pack our shit and go home." Josie yelled.

"I agree with Josie." Tillie said. Ruby and Jane nodded too.

"I love you guys for worrying about me." She told her friends. "But I'm not leaving. I won't ever hold it against any of you for choosing to leave though."

"We won't leave you...ever." Diana said moving to hug Anne, she felt her throat tighten with unshed tears, as the others crowded around her to voice their support. She loved them so fiercely, they were her only family besides Matthew and Marilla, her foster parents, Cole and Jerry, her foster brothers.

"Is there any way I can convince you to stay outside in the van and monitor?" Gilbert asked her. 

"You know there isn't." She said with a half smile. 

"Please be careful, don't do anything to antagonize it." He pleaded.

"I won't. Who knows, we may not be going back in, we have to wait for Cole." They both looked over toward Cole's car, where he was sitting inside, talking on the phone. He was still unaware, or maybe he wasn't, of the Malefic's threat against Anne.

"Maybe. I have to go to the door at least." He told her, at her questioning look he answered. "I promised Moody's ball for the kid to play with."

"Oh yeah."

"I'd better get to it."

"Don't go alone. Take someone with you." She said.

"Yeah, Moody, grab a camera." He called out.

"Gilbert, do not go inside." She warned again and he nodded, grabbed the ball and walked toward the front of the church

"Anne come see." Ruby called out, she walked to the front of the church where most of the others had gathered to watch. Gilbert would kick the ball into the church a few moments later it would come back to him, he blocked it and kicked it back. On one of his blocks he kicked it up and bounced it off his knee a couple of times before kicking it back to the young spirit inside. 

"Moody did you get that?" He asked excitedly. "He just copied my move."

"I got it." Moody was just behind Gilbert, filming over his shoulder. Gilbert kicked the ball back and forth a few more times, then the ball didn't come back.

"Maybe he is tired." Ruby suggested.

"Yeah probably." Gilbert agreed, only to have the ball thrown viciously hard against his chest, causing him to stumble back into Moody who just missing falling off the stairs backward.

"What the fuck?" Gilbert coughed out, trying to catch his breath. He stood up to walk toward the church door when it slammed in his face, two more steps and it would have hit him. 

"Get back from there." Anne warned, she could sense it, the Malefic. Gilbert and Moody came down the steps and joined the others, Gilbert rubbing the spot that had been hit by the ball.

"It doesn't like anyone to experience joy...even for just a moment." Cole said as he joined the group. "Are you okay?" He asked Gilbert, who just nodded.

"Cole we heard it when it laughed at us. It said.."

"Princess Cordelia dies tonight. I know. But I also know that Anne is going to live a long and healthy life. I've seen it." Cole told them. "But this thing is well aware of our fears, it knows the people we love and it will use them to scare us off."

"So are we going back in there?" Jane asked.

"You are are not. I will go in with Moody." At the protests that were about to spill out of Anne and Gilbert, Cole held his hand up. "We won't be alone, we'll have a shamen with us."

"A shamen?" Anne repeated.

"Why me?" Moody asked.

"You can't be serious." Charlie scoffed.

"I am very serious. We need someone who understands what is happening here." Cole told them. 

"Where did you find a shamen?" Josie asked him.

"The Mi'kmaq cultural market, remember we met Ka'kwet? She and I have hung out a few times. She knows a shamen. They'll be here around 9pm. No one goes in or near the church until then."

"That's a couple of hours away. We should go get some dinner. McDonalds or KFC?" Jane asked. 

They decided on McDonalds because it was easier to eat without plates and cutlery. Anne wasn't even sure she would be able to eat. She texted Marilla to make sure they were okay. Sighing with relief when she said everything was normal, Matthew was sleeping on his easy chair in front of the TV, after filling up on goulash, Marilla was knitting. 

"So Princess Cordelia?" Gilbert asked, taking a seat in the chair beside her. "Is that your online identity?"

"Actually it is, but it goes back farther than that. It was a character I used to make up stories about. She had everything I wanted, adventures, love, happiness...black hair. When I started using the internet, it was a natural step to use her name."

"A long and healthy life. That must be reassuring." He brought up Cole's assertion for Anne's future. 

"It is. I believe him."

"Has he told you other things? About your future?"

"No...I haven't asked. He has been helpful with other things though." She told him smiling.

"Like lost bracelets?"

"Or lost parents. He gave me their names, it led me to find my own records with the courts and government. He was right about their names, and why they weren't able to raise me."

"Closure is always nice, isn't it?" Gilbert said, and she was surprised he didn't ask about her parents. It was something people always asked when they found out she was an orphan. 

"Thanks for taking care of me, after. I didn't even know I was bleeding."

"Dr. Blythe at your service." He joked. "Anytime though."

"This is really serious and dangerous." She stated.

"Yeah it is. Let's promise to watch each other's backs."

"Deal." She stuck out her hand and he took it, shaking it firmly but not the overly crushing grip some men possessed. 

Cole came over and joined them, sitting on a chair on the other side of Anne. "Cole why can't we go in there? Why just Moody?"

"It can't be any women, it's attacks on the females will just get worse, I can see bruises and bitemarks, if I let you in there. It absolutely hates Charlie and Gilbert, at this point I haven't sensed any hostility toward Moody...more than its general hostility. I have a bad feeling if I let Paul in there...something bad will happen to him. It has to be Moody."

"What do you mean something bad will happen to Paul?" Gilbert asked.

"He won't come back out." Cole warned them.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Backup arrives, and Cole faces something, he never saw coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first off, thanks to RosalieBlack and Ohmygodnighttroll for informing me that you should NEVER tilt back your head when you have a nosebleed. Please never follow any medical advice from me, I am not a doctor. LOL
> 
> Thanks for all the support you guys give me, it means everything!!
> 
> I will put the ** for any scenes that might be too scary for people.

Ka'kwet arrived with the shamen just before 9pm, Gilbert wasn't sure what he had expected, he assumed an old man or woman would show up, but it was a woman who looked to be around her early 30s. Was that old enough to be a shamen? Cole introduced everyone to Ka'kwet, who introduced Ngwe'ji'jg.

"There is a very dark presence here." Ngwe'ji'jg said to Cole.

"This is what I saw down there." He showed her the drawing he had done in the cellar, he had refused to show the others.

"You're sure this is what you saw?" She asked Cole, who nodded. "I need to see it myself. Ka'kwet, you stay here, Cole you come with me. No one else."

"What about a camera?" Charlie asked. She looked at him like he was a child.

"You already have a camera down there. You don't need more." 

"Will it be safe for you to go down there? Both of you?" Anne asked.

"The Creator will protect us." Ngwe'ji'jg assured them. "No one can enter, no matter what you see or hear." She warned them. Her and Cole took flashlights with them, but Anne showed him how to turn on the light for the camera that was in the basement, if they needed. The rest of the group gathered around the monitor showing the cellar and watched nervously. 

"What happens if it goes bad?" Gilbert asked Anne. 

"We can't leave them down there if it does. Cole wouldn't leave us."

"I've got sage and salt in a bag." He told her.

"Same, and some white candles and even crystals if we need them." 

"We won't need them." He hoped he sounded more positive to her than he sounded to himself. 

**They turned their attention back to the monitor. Ngwe'ji'jg and Cole had just entered the basement, there was no sound, other than their footsteps, nothing showed up on the thermal. Cole switched on the light, and she began to look inside the backpack pulling out several bundles of sticks, she handed some to Cole and lit two in her hands, and helped Cole light the two he was holding, they both went to the corner opposite the one that the Malefic seemed to like, and began smudging, while Ngwe'ji'jg began speaking in a language Gilbert couldn't understand and he assumed was the language of the Mi'kmaq people. Then Cole went to one corner, and Ngwe'ji'jg went to the corner opposite him, they repeated their motions and she continued to speak. 

"Cold spot forming." Tillie noted, and all their eyes turned to the thermal camera, where there cold spot was indeed growing larger. 

"Cole, continue smudging, but move toward me." Ngwe'ji'jg instructed as she made her way to the center of the room, facing the corner.

"Do you see a shadow there?" Charlie asked, pointing at the regular camera feed. They all could see the shadow, it was larger than the cold spot on the thermal, the shadow had no form. 

Together Ngwe'ji'jg and Cole then moved toward the shadow in the corner, she didn't raise her voice when the Malefic started growling. On the thermal cam, waves of cold started to radiate out toward the pair in the cellar. 

"Is it trying to touch them?" Anne asked. No one had an answer to that, but the screen didn't show them to be in pain. A deep voice started talking in what sounded like the same language that Ngwe'ji'jg was speaking, and it took a moment for Gilbert to realise the Malefic was speaking. 

"The cold spot is gone." Tillie announced.

"So is the shadow." Charlie noted.

"Is it gone?" Ruby asked?**

On the screen, the pair finished smudging in the Malefic's corner for a while longer before turning to climb the steps out of the basement.  
They all ran to the door to meet them, or offer assistance if they needed it.

Anne knew something was wrong the minute she saw Cole, he looked defeated, and afraid. "What happened?" She asked him, as the others all voiced similar questions. Cole shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "Cole...are you alright?"

"We couldn't get rid of it outright. It will be dormant for a short time." Ngwe'ji'jg said, placing a comforting hand on Cole's shoulder. "You did all you could. This is a powerful spirit, very old and very clever."

"I'm a fraud." Cole managed to say, his voice cracking with emotions.

"No you aren't, it has spent milennia tricking and distorting the truth. You are young yet, and not as experienced as you thought. It used your arrogance against you." She took both his hands in hers. "You need real training, but you are not a fraud."

"I could have got someone killed, and trapped here." He was just holding back tears, Anne wanted to comfort him but didn't understand what was happening. 

"But you didn't. You kept everyone out and called for my help. You did the right thing." Ngwe'ji'jg assured him.

"What are you guys talking about? Is Cole okay?" Josie asked.

"I was wrong." Cole told Josie.

"About what?" Diana asked.

"The thing here tricked Cole. It is an old old entity, it wasn't created by my ancestors, that is what it wanted people to believe, to blame us for the horror and death here. That justified their abuse against us, pushed us from our ancestral homes and stole our culture from us, our language, customs and freedoms."

Gilbert shook his head, as if trying to understand. "So it was never created by your people?"

"No, this thing has been causing strife, hatred and suffering before my people ever came to this continent. It has been the source of many conflicts and wars in the past, in places like Egypt, Rome and Europe...before it found it's way here."

"How did it trick Cole?" Ruby asked.

"It wanted Cole to see something that wasn't there, it showed him some truths, it is responsible for many deaths and does keep them here with it, but it put its lies with truths. Cole would have figured it out eventually." She said kindly to Cole.

"Before or after I got someone killed?" Cole asked bitterly. "I need to go." He stalked to his car, Anne followed him.

"Cole...this isn't your fault." She said to him.

"It really is. I'm supposed to be the medium, I got it so incredibly wrong." 

"You didn't, you got most of it right."

"Yeah but the one detail I massively fucked up, could have got you killed Anne! You especially, I was so sure you were going to have a long and healthy life...what if I got that wrong too? What if all this time, they have been lying to me and tricking me? What if I am the biggest fool out there?"

"Cole, I trust in you and your abilities."

"Well I don't. I'm sorry Anne, I need to go." He let her hug him for a long time, she tried to pour all her love and confidence in him, into him. 

"I love you, and I believe in you Cole." He pulled away from her and nodded.

"I love you too. I need to get this sorted out in my head." He got into his car and handed her a paper from his sketchbook. "This is what I saw, you guys can have it."

"Text me to let me know you got home safe."

"I will."

Gilbert noticed Anne following Cole, talking to him before he could get into the car.

"You said its dormant for now...what next?" Gilbert asked Ngwe'ji'jg , trying not to stare at Anne and Cole.

"I will call in some colleagues and we will rid this place of the creature. It may take some time." Ngwe'ji'jg warned them. "I will assist one of you to remove the equipment, and then you will leave. Do not come back until I or Ka'kwet tells you it is safe."

He saw Anne hugging Cole from the corner of his eye, her hands running slow circles over his back, while he clung to her. Cole broke the hug, and nodded at something she was saying and got into his car, passing her a page of paper, before driving off. She stared at his retreating car for a moment before walking to rejoin the group.

"He'll be fine. He just needs to recenter himself." Ngwe'ji'jg said to Anne. "Which one of you is Moody?" Moody raised his hand, terror evident on his face.

"Cole was right when he said you were the person to go in there. It is not a danger right now, but I don't want to risk reactivating it with the presence of one of the others, you will come with me to break down the equipment in there. I will tell you what we did to make it dormant."

"Okay...?" He said, Gilbert went over to Moody.

"You'll be fine. Just move quick and don't forget anything, all our gear is labeled, shouldn't be any mix ups. Put everything outside the back door and we will load it in the van and cars."

"Is it okay to admit I'm scared?" Moody asked him.

"Who wouldn't be? You'll be fine."

"Take this Moody." Anne joined them and pressed something into Moody's hand. "It's a crystal I like to carry on me when I go into a potential haunt. It has protective properties."

"Thanks Anne." Moody grinned, tucking it into his pocket, and moved to go with Ngwe'ji'jg back into the church.

"So that's it then?" Anne asked Gilbert.

"It's going to have to be. Ngwe'ji'jg has told us not to come back until it is cleared here."

**"Cole gave me this." She handed him the picture, he felt like throwing up. In the picture was a huge black formless blob. It had no eyes, mouth or any features of it's own. But inside of it's mirky depths were the screaming, agonized faces of people. Faces with eyes bulging in horror or pain, mouths agape in agony, twisted hands reaching out in despair.**

"Jesus Christ." Gilbert whispered. 

"Yeah." She sniffed, he looked over and saw she was quietly crying, about Cole he presumed. 

"He'll be okay." He tried to sound like he believed it.

"I know." She nodded, the dam broken and she was openly crying. "Sorry...." She apologized for her tears, wiping at them with her hand.

"Don't be sorry. It's been a long, terrifying, stressful day, and your..." What was Cole to her? "And Cole has experienced a life changing event, one where he is going to question and second guess every move and decision he has ever made. Shit, I feel like crying too." He reached up and gently patted her shoulder. "Is this okay?" 

"Yes." She told him. "I need a drink."

"Amen to that. Let's get this site cleaned up and I'll buy you a bottle of whatever it is you like and we get this group drunk."

"Sounds great. I'll take a bottle of any red wine."

"Sounds good to me too. Let's go."

Anne couldn't help but watch him, they were all sitting in the living room in the girl's house, while Moody told them about the bundles Ngwe'ji'jg had burned, not just sage, there was sweetgrass and cedar also. The couch was filled with people, as were the chairs, so she was sitting cross legged on the floor, her back against Diana's knees, the coffee table in front of her, and Gilbert Blythe on the other side. He was drinking a rye and ginger, she was on her second glass of wine, and was just starting to feel the tension leaving her body. He smiled when it was appropriate but she could tell by the clenching of his jaw every few moments he was still feeling on edge over everything that occurred at the church, and she couldn't blame him. She didn't know if she would ever be able to relax without a few glasses of wine again. 

"I know we are relaxing and unwinding here," Gilbert spoke up, after Moody finished his story, getting all of their attention. "I don't think we should put any of the footage or pictures online."

Anne stared open mouthed while all the others began shouting and yelling.

"Let me explain, first." He held up his hand, asking for them to give him a chance. "We have to wait until at least Ngwe'ji'jg and her colleagues are finished clearing it out, it is too dangerous to put that on the internet and let some reckless, crazy yahoos figure out where it is and wake Petna's'g up and get themselves killed. Or get Ngwe'ji'jg and her friends hurt, we have a responsibility to keep this to ourselves."

"Gilbert, this is the big one. This will not just get us recognized in Canada, but worldwide. We have literally the best paranormal footage ever...ever recorded. Don't we have a responsibility to let the world know that this is real?" Charlie countered.

"Of course we do, but we can't do that at risk of even one person's safety. Not for our own fame."

"This could be our big break. We could get our own show like Ghost Brothers." Paul said.

"I know. It's killing me to say this, but I can't in good conscious release this footage...not now."

Anne listened while they all made good arguments, most of them in favour of releasing it, and she wanted to as well, that would lock in their sponsorship for sure, and it wouldn't just put CHAPS on an international stage, it would launch S.S.S. too. She wouldn't have to worry about paying for student loans, she could pay for the new roof Matthew and Marilla so desperately needed, she could help kids like her, in the foster system. Even just the video of Gilbert playing soccer with Jonathan would make them famous.

He was willing to give that up, for who knows how long? It could be years before that thing was defeated. She knew nothing about him, but knew that he was willing to give up his dream, for the greater good. Damn him.

"Gilbert's right." She finally spoke up. She waved down the arguments. "We can't, it wouldn't be safe for Ngwe'ji'jg, her colleagues, amateurs like ourselves or anyone. How would you feel if someone died there because of us?"

"My BMW would ease the guilt." Charlie tried to make a joke.

"No it wouldn't." Diana said to Charlie. "You know how I grew up, I had everything I could have wanted, except love and happiness. Money won't do that for you, and the guilt will eat away at us if anyone dies there. Even you Charlie, I know you are a good guy."

It was decided then, they would put all the video and photos onto a USB drive and delete all the other copies, there was a brief argument over what they should do with the USB, who should keep it, but since it was originally a CHAPS investigation, Gilbert would hold on to it until the time was safe to release it. They stood behind Tillie and Paul while they transferred and deleted the evidence, and then Tillie handed Gilbert the USB, he put it in his pocket and picked his drink back up and swallowed the rest down.

"We're doing the right thing." She told him, he was pouring another drink, she leaned her hip against the counter beside him and watched.

"Getting ridiculously drunk?" He pretended to misunderstand.

"Well yes, but you're right. It's too dangerous."

"Yeah...it sucks but what are you going to do?" He raised his glass and she clinked her wineglass against his.

"Well...I was thinking, why don't we do a couple of more investigations together. We mix the teams up, half go to one of our planned investigations and one goes to yours. We share the glory and hopefully both of our channels get more attention."

She thought for a second he would refuse. "I agree on one condition." He told her.

"What is it?" She asked suspiciously.

"You and I are on the same team." He watched her think it over, his eyebrow raised, his lips quirked in a little smile.

"You got a deal." They shook hands on it, and if they held hands a little longer than was normal...neither said anything about it.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Gilbert investigate another potential haunting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think any of this is scary enough to warrant a warning. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, commenting and leaving kudos!!

"Don't you think we should take a break?" Diana asked Anne, who was checking gear, making sure batteries were charged, and that she had enough memory cards.

"We just had two weeks off." Anne replied.

"Yeah but we faced something huge...life changing Anne. I'm still having nightmares." Diana admitted. 

So was Anne, she thought the effects were pretty noticeable in the dark circles under her eyes. She couldn't sleep with the lights fully out anymore, leaving the TV in her bedroom on while she managed a short sleep that would always be plagued by the laughter of the Malefic. "Which is why we need to get back on that horse." Anne said to Diana.

"I can't imagine Gilbert is okay with this." Diana continued to poke at Anne's plans.

"If Gilbert wants to work with us then he will be ready to go, if not, he'll have to wait until the Male...the church is cleared." 

"It's not fair or safe to force him to investigate if he isn't mentally prepared." Diana warned.

"Diana, I don't know what you expect me to do. Do you want me to stand here and tell you that I am perfectly fine? Because we both know I'm not. I wake up thinking I see it in my room, I hear it in my dreams, I see all of you hurt or worse, yeah I'm still fucked up from it, but it will not beat me." She stared at Diana, daring her to continue the challenge. "If you don't feel safe going, you should absolutely not go."

"Anne..."

"I'm serious Diana, if you feel any hesitation you shouldn't go. Ruby, Paul and Gilbert will be enough."

"I am still struggling with it...but I'm going to come, I'll stay in the van, I can watch monitors and help from there."

"You're sure?" 

"I've never missed an investigation. I don't want to start now."

"I love you Diana, it would have been so strange not to have you there."

"I love you too." Diana hugged Anne tightly. 

Suddenly they felt another pair of arms around them. "I love you both too." Ruby exclaimed. "Gilbert and Paul just pulled up out front by the way." She told them.

"Let's get a move on then." Anne ordered with a laugh.

Gilbert was leaning up against the side of his car, scrolling through his phone, checking weather conditions, sunset and sunrise times, and then his email and social media accounts, Paul was on the porch of the house making out with Tillie, who had run out to just "talk" to Paul while Anne, Ruby and Diana finished up getting ready. He looked up when the front door of the house opened and Ruby came out carrying a couple of bags of gear, Gilbert met her halfway and offered to take the bags the rest of the way to the van, she handed over both bags and then rushed ahead to open the van door for Gilbert. He put the bags in the van and turned around to find Anne and Diana walking toward them, bags and cases in hands. 

"Is that everything? Or do you guys need me to grab anything?"

"Just Paul's tongue from Tillie's throat." Anne answered. Gilbert looked up to the porch where Paul and Tillie were kissing a little more frantically.

"I think it's romantic." Ruby said a wistful smile on her face.

"Oh Ruby..." Diana said with a slight frown. "It's not."

"Not every PDA is romantic." Anne shook her head.

"I don't know I kind of agree with Ruby." Gilbert said. When the women looked with a mixture of horror and confusion he explained. "When you get so lost in each other that the world arounds you disappears."

Anne and Diana looked back at the couple as though considering his words. "Maybe...but they look like two bears fighting over the same territory." Anne said, making Diana laughed and Ruby frowned, Gilbert couldn't resist needling Anne a little bit. 

"You wouldn't think that if it was you up there wrestling your own bear," He teased.

"I wouldn't wrestle a bear in broad daylight on the front porch." Anne declared.

"You just haven't found the right bear." He winked at her, laughing at her sputtering while she tried to think of a response to that. "Yo Paul! Time to go." He called out, Paul dropped one more kiss on Tillie's lips and said something to her, causing a deep red blush to fill her face, and turned to jog down the stairs.

"When did you guys get here?" He asked the women.

They pulled up to the scene of the investigation, and all got out of the vehicles, they had less than two hours of sunlight left to get ready, Gilbert told them about the building.

"This is one of the first places I ever investigated, before we moved to Charlottetown, Charlie, Moody and I came here, we grew up not far away. We didn't have any equipment, just digital cameras, I have wanted to do a proper investigation since we started CHAPS."

"It's beautiful here." Anne said dreamily and she ran her fingers over some yellow wild flowers growing so large they were hanging over a low stone wall, the cold autumn weather hadn't arrived yet and the flowers were still thriving in the warm October sun.

Diana and Paul filmed the outside day shots and then both filmed Gilbert and the others while Gilbert explained about the house and property around it.

"We're standing at the Gray house, in Hester Gray's garden." Gilbert told them about a local man who met the love of his life in Boston and brought her back home, where he created a beautiful garden for her. One that she loved and tended to for four years before she died of consumption. "David left and years later when he died, he was brought back to the island and laid in the garden next to his beloved Hester. The house has been unoccupied since."

"It's the most tragical of love stories." Anne announced. 

"Reports inside the house are rooms suddenly becoming cold, the scent of perfume, hearing footsteps, doors opening and closing on their own. Not too much from inside since no one lives here, and therefore not a lot of time is spent inside. People claim that Hester haunts her beloved gardens, they claim they have seen a figure walking between the rose bushes. And if a man sits on the bench, she will think it is David, and he will feel the caress of her fingers on the back of his neck. I think we should have a couple of thermals set up out here. One that can capture the whole garden and one that is tighter on the bench."

"What about inside?" Ruby asked. "What did you experience when you were here before?"

"I don't want to influence your experiences tonight. I'll tell you all when we finish the investigation and have reviewed the footage. Let's set up a camera on the main stairs and in the master bedroom, where I presume she passed away."

"Diana is going to stay in the van tonight." Anne said casually, and Gilbert realised she didn't want to bring a lot of attention to it.

"Sounds good." Gilbert said flashing a grin at Diana. He grabbed a bag and followed Anne up the front stairs and into the house. 

"She's struggling?" Gilbert asked once they were out of Diana's earshot.

"We all are...what about you...guys?"

He shrugged, "They all seem okay."

"And you?" He took in the dark circles under her eyes and the tired look on her face and figured they matched his own.

"I never sleep much anyway." He told her and he felt her eyes on him, while he unzipped the bag and pulled out a tripod to set the camera up on.

"It's hard to sleep, knowing that it's out there." She admitted, he was surprised she was showing him any vulnerability.

"It is. I've been falling asleep to old episodes of Parks and Rec."

"Golden Girls for me." She chuckled. 

"I'll have to check it out, I'm halfway through the final season of Parks...I'll need something new to distract me."

"Let me know if you need any more suggestions, I'm full of them.

"Yes, I've noticed that." He teased, she rolled her eyes and they went back to their jobs. 

Paul, Anne and Gilbert were in the house filming, they were standing in what looked to be a parlor or sitting room on the main floor. "Hester if you are here, give us a sign." Gilbert said. They waited in silence for several moments before he asked the next question. "Is there anyone here, if there is please try and make the lights on this device come on." He pointed at the REM Pod on the floor. Nothing happened.

"Do you guys smell that?" Paul asked. "I smell something nice." Anne and Gilbert began to inhale deeply, trying to catch the scent.

"That's just Anne's shampoo." Gilbert said. Anne frowned, she couldn't smell her own hair, could they? How did Gilbert know what her hair smelled like?

Paul leaned in toward Anne and sniffed. "Sorry." He apologized for invading her space. "It's not her, it's right over here." Anne and Gilbert made their way over to Paul and sniffed.

"I do smell something..." Anne had caught the aroma, it was rich and full.

"I do too." Gilbert said. Anne walked around the room, trying to narrow down where the smell was coming from. Stopping by the window and looking out, she could see their van, Ruby and Diana were inside watching them monitors. She looked out at the land surrounding the property, even at night and overgrown and wild, the garden was beautiful...she wished she could have seen it in its heyday, lush and full.

"It's the garden." It finally occurred to her, the guys turning to look at her. "These windows are flimsy and not draft proof, when the wind blows in the right direction it would easily carry the smell of the flowers in."

"It could account for cold spots and doors closing too." Paul said, examining the windows. "I can definitely feel some air coming through the cracks in the sill. If it were a really windy outside it would be stronger. "The drafty windows could also explain why the doors sometimes open or close, if they haven't been shut tight first.""

"Good catch Anne." Gilbert said, moving again to ask questions to anything present. 

"I don't want to sit on that bench." Paul declared. "I don't want to invite anything to touch me." Gilbert felt the nervous clawing in his belly, he was going to have to be the one that sat there and try and convince Hester Gray to stroke the back of his neck. Two white headstones, almost completely bleached by the sun and weather sat opposite the small stone bench, He could make out the letters "es" in what he thought could be Hester's grave. He plucked a couple of yellow flowers and laid them on top of each headstone, and then sat down on the bench.

"Hester Gray, are you here with us?" He asked. No voices or icy cold fingers answered him. "Are you looking for David?" A gentle wind ruffled his hair. "Do you like me sitting on your bench visiting? If you do can you say something or show me you are here? Can you touch me?"

A loud scream from Ruby had them all turning toward her, where she was smiling sheepishly. "Sorry! The wind just made my hair tickle my neck and it freaked me out."

"Hey Anne?" Diana's voice came over the walkie.

"Yeah?" She answered.

"I'm getting something on the thermal." She told them.

"Stay where you are Gilbert." Anne instructed and the others moved slowly to look at the thermal camera, set up behind the headstones, pointed at Gilbert and the bench. 

"What are you seeing?" Gilbert asked. Wishing he could see the thermal himself.

"Nothing really, just a small cold spot. It's probably nothing." Anne answered, the calm soothing quality to her voice had the opposite effect and had him certain she was not telling him something.

"Where is it?" He asked.

"It's small, size of a sparrow maybe." Anne told him. "It seems to be around the flowers you just put on the graves."

"It keeps going back and forth between them." Ruby told him.

"You sure it isn't a bee or a fly?" He asked.

"Do you see a bug on them or flying around?" Anne asked. It was cold enough at night that there were no nocturnal insects, in the day you could still see flies or ants, but he hadn't even seen a moth attracted to the lights on the cameras. 

"It's moving toward you." Paul said, moving closer to Gilbert, standing behind him and filming him from behind. "I've got a tight shot on the back of your neck."

Several minutes passed by, no one spoke, the spirit of Hester did not make herself known, he asked a few more questions but they decided to call it a night and began to pack up. 

"How is Cole doing?" Gilbert asked as they loaded the last bag into the van. Anne shook her head, not able to talk about it, walking to the driver's door and getting in. 

"He hasn't been around he doesn't answer our calls, he does return some texts. He's just angry at himself for not seeing the truth." Diana provided an answer.

"She's pretty close to him." He stated an obvious fact.

"She is, it's hurting her not to be able to help him. He has been such a calming, positive influence in our lives, always there when we need him, and now when he needs us, he's freezing us out."

"Roy says he's spending a lot of time meditating, so hopefully that is helping." Diana told him, shutting the door to the van.

"Who's Roy?"

"Cole's boyfriend." Diana told him. "See you tomorrow...later today." She waved as Anne started the van and pulled out. They had plans to go over to the women's house later and go over their footage and recorders, looking for anything they may have missed. 

"Cole's boyfriend...he's gay." Gilbert said to himself as he moved to join Paul in the car, a big smile on his face. 

"Kind of a bust huh?" Paul commented.

"Not at all. I feel like celebrating, you want to get pizza?"

"Celebrating what?" Paul asked him.

"A successful collaboration."


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gilbert and Anne let loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was nearly impossible to find time to write this week. This chapter is 1000 words more than I usually write so I hope that makes up for it.
> 
> Not one scary thing happens in this chapter.

The next day he went over to Spirits Shadows and Spectres' house, around 6pm, Moody and Charlie were dropping him off and taking his car to an investigation Josie was leading along with Tillie and Jane, Paul met him there, after apparently spending several hours locked up with Tillie in her room. Paul was sitting in their operations room, watching Tillie as she packed up some gear, he raised his eyebrow at Gilbert when Gilbert removed his jacket and hung it on the back of a chair.

"Did you have court today?" Paul asked.

"No...?" Gilbert answered.

"Why are you so dressed up?"

"I'm not dressed up, I always wear this shirt." It wasn't technically a lie, he did wear it all the time, on dates, important meetings, presenting projects, speeches, baptisms...the family portrait with Bash and Dellie, he just didn't normally wear it for investigating. It wasn't really anything fancy, but it was a nice light blue button down dress shirt, that was a little more expensive than most of his other clothes.

"I think it looks great Gilbert. Nothing wrong with looking stylish." Tillie complimented Gilbert.

"Thanks." He nervously rubbed the back of his neck and sat down at the dining room table. "Excited for tonight?"

"I really am. It's going to be interesting without Anne there, with Josie in charge." Tillie answered him. "I just hope Josie doesn't go mad with power."

"Too late, I've been mad with power since grade three." Josie laughed as she entered the room.

"That's not untrue." Diana added as she walked in with Josie.

They made small talk for a few minutes before Anne and Jane arrived, Anne giving Jane several last minute instructions. "Do not hesitate to call me, if there is a problem."

"I won't." Jane replied in a tone that made it clear she had heard this list of instructions several times at least. "Shouldn't you be saying all this to Josie?"

"She did...repeatedly. We will be fine Anne, stop being a control freak."

"I am not a control freak!" Anne denied, looking at the others to agree with her, Diana avoided her eyes, studying her phone intently, Josie just picked up a bag of gear and walked out. "I'm not." She insisted as Jane and Tillie grabbed their gear and left. Anne looked at Gilbert, her face red, he assumed she was embarrassed by Josie's comment.

"All good leaders struggle with delegating sometimes." He told her diplomatically.

"Hmmmm." Was her only reply, giving him a look like she didn't buy it, but she didn't yell at him so he counted that as a victory. "Well lets start working." 

Anne was distracted. She was sitting at the table, with her Airpods in, listening for EVPs on one of the digital recorders, the one that had been left in the master bedroom at the Gray house. She hadn't heard anything but empty air hissing since Paul had started the recording device with announcing the date, time and location, and then had walked away. She was less than 45 minutes in and she was having difficulty listening to dead air. Maybe it was the way Paul tapped his pencil while he reviewed footage, or Ruby humming the newest Taylor Swift song under her breath, or the way Gilbert rubbed the back of his neck, or the way he stretched, his arms extended way above his head, a flash of his stomach appearing below the hem of his shirt as it rode up. That damned shirt! There were approximately two buttons done up on it...that might have been an exaggeration but why could she see so much of his skin? When she had first seen him she had lost her breath for a second, his long legs encased in black denim, a pair of Doc Martens on his feet, and that shirt, it clung to his shoulders and arms, the top three buttons opened pulled her eyes to the skin there, his collar bones just visible. That vee of the undone buttons seemed to draw her gaze downward and she noticed the bottom button was undone too. How did he look so good without trying? It was so unfair.

She shook her head and continued to listen to...nothing...and noticed Gilbert had nodded his head and was writing something on his pad of paper.

"Did you find something?" She asked, pausing her recording, desperate for something that wasn't dead air.

Gilbert pulled out an earbud and shook his head. "Not really, I heard some sounds but I think it was us in another part of the house. I noted the time and we can watch the video to see if there was anything."

"Oh..."She couldn't help but feel disappointed, she didn't want to go back to the recording. 

"Not in the mood for reviewing?" He asked with a smile. She noticed, not for the first time, that he had such a nice smile, one that reached his eyes, her tummy did a little flip flop at those dimples.

"Not at all. I just feel like dancing and drinking, or singing karaoke at the top of my lungs. Something that doesn't involve listening to an empty space." 

"We could do those things." Paul spoke up. 

"No we can't, we have a video to make." Anne reminded herself as much as Paul, since it was entirely too tempting.

"A night off won't kill us. It's not like we have a deadline." Paul persisted, looking at Gilbert. "You already have your fancy shirt on."

"It's not that fancy..." Gilbert countered. "It has been a while since I had a real night off."

"You can't seriously be thinking about going to a club." Anne didn't want to allow herself the excitement she was beginning to feel.

"Rotgut's is just around the corner, we could go for a couple of drinks and a few songs." Paul reminded them. 

Rotgut's was the nickname for a terrible dive bar named Rutger's, it was well known for it's cheap, watered down drinks. Anne looked at Ruby who was practically pleading with her eyes, like a kid asking for a puppy, she looked at Diana who shrugged and said. "We always say we want to check it out some time."

"Fuck it. Diana, get that bottle of tequila, we'll do a couple of shots to pregame and then head over to Rotgut's!" She announced to cheers.

They all had a shot before the girls ran upstairs to change, Gilbert smiled at how happy Anne looked, crashing her shot glass into everyone else's before tipping her head back and swallowing it down. 

"Nothing too fancy, ladies." Paul reminded them that most of the people that frequented Rotgut's were barflies, regulars that spent their paychecks or pensions at the dive bar. Gilbert checked himself out in the mirror in the downstairs washroom, tried to smooth down his curls, sniffed his armpits, pleased they didn't smell, and headed back out to wait with Paul. They could hear the occasional high pitched scream of laughter through the ceiling, and before long the sound of their feet on the stairs. Diana came down first, her hair was unchanged, still sitting across her shoulders in loose glossy black curls, there was more makeup than she had previously been wearing, she had on jeans and a pretty red blouse. Ruby was next, she was wearing a white tank top, trimmed with lace, which she paired with a pair of black pants, she also had more makeup on and her hair was twisted up into a knot on the top of her head. 

Anne was next, she entered the room with her head thrown back in laughter, her eyes nearly closed, a hand on her chest as she giggled, Gilbert couldn't stop staring at her, her hair was down, a halo of fire around her. She had put on makeup, dark eyeliner surrounding her eyes, making them seem impossibly huge. She was wearing form fitting jeans, her legs looked ridiculously long, and she had a midriff baring, black short sleeved shirt on, that had thin strings on it that wrapped around her waist and tied in a knot beneath a deep vee that revealed the swell of her breasts. So much skin...was all he could think. He tore his eyes off of her, and looked at Paul, who was complimenting the women. 

"You guys are going to get me and Gilbert into a fight tonight for sure." Was Paul's way of telling them they looked good. The women laughed in response and turned to Gilbert, Diana with a raised eyebrow.

"You all look lovely." He told them, feeling like his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. "I need another shot." He actually needed a lot more, he needed to get so drunk he could forget how kissable her red lips looked, or how strong her legs looked in those jeans. 

The air in Rotgut's smelled like old beer, Axe body spray, apparently the preferred scent of the 40 year old men that frequented the place, and stale cigarettes. There had been no smoking indoors on the island for years, but the decades of smoking before that had left a permanent stink, but the song on the speakers was a fun one and there was a table in the back big enough for them all. 

"Let's stick to Canadian, in a bottle, they can't water that down." Diana suggested, and the rest agreed.

"I'll get the first round." Gilbert offered, pulling his wallet out. Anne narrowed her eyes at him.

"We can pay for our own drinks."

"Of course you can. It doesn't have to be a big deal, you can get the next round." He told her, not wanting to fight with her, not when she was sitting right next to him and she smelled like vanilla sugar.

"I will." She replied. 

There was no DJ, just an jukebox that auto played unless you put your toonie in and requested three songs off the playlist. The women drank some of their beer before heading over to the jukebox to argue over which songs they wanted to hear. Soon the three of them were dancing on the tiny dance floor near the jukebox to "Single Ladies", Gilbert was acutely aware of all the men in the bar watching them.

"Let's go join them." Paul said swallowing down the last of his beer. Gilbert nodded and finished his beer as well. He really tried not to be across from her, he planned the whole way to the dance floor, all five steps, to not stare at her, to look at the others and just have fun letting off the stress that had been building between The Malefic, school and the tension he felt low in his belly when he thought of Anne, but there she was, swaying her hips, holding her beer in one hand while the other arm twisted above her head. When she looked away from Diana and toward him, he shifted his eyes to Ruby, who was bouncing around wearing a huge grin on her face. When the song faded out and was replaced by "Oops I did it Again" the irony was not lost on him.

Anne was at the bar, ordering the next round of drinks, she was trying, and failing, to adhere to her own internal promise to not look at Gilbert until she returned to the table with the beer. She could see him just out of the corner of her eye, he would talk to everyone at their table, but she could see he was looking toward where she was. 

"Hey, I'll buy you a drink Red." A man said to her. He was sitting at the bar, a half drank pint of beer in front of him, he was about 20 years old than her, and she could see his fingers were yellow and brown from smoking too much.

"No thank you." She responded politely.

"Come on Red, a pretty girl like you shouldn't be buying her own drinks." He persisted. "Al, get a pint for the lady on me."

"Al, please don't do that. I'm sorry sir but I do not accept drinks from strangers. I appreciate the offer though."

"I just want to talk." He said putting his hand, thankfully not the nicotine stained one, over her hand that was resting on the bar. She pulled her hand out from under his.

"I do not want to talk to you."

"You think you are too good to talk to me? You come in here dressed like that shaking your ass on the dance floor, and you get bitchy when someone gives you the attention you've been asking for?" He glared at her.

"Excuse me? Are you actually trying to slut shame me?" She was angry now. As if she wanted his lecherous attention. She was gearing up to unleash on him when she felt a warm hand slide around her waist, she startled and turned to see Gilbert there, smiling down at her.

"Is there a problem here Babe?" He asked as he pulled her close, she understood right away that he was pretending to be her boyfriend to help get rid of the older man, part of her was amused by his attempt, part of her was furious, she didn't need him to save her, but most of her was electrified by the feeling of his hand on her bare skin, and the tickle of the cuff of his shirt.

"Nothing I can't handle." She told him. She was going to remove his hand from her body...but it felt so warm and she didn't want to.

"Oh I know it. Just missed you." He tapped her nose. Her eyes grew wide with shock...did he actually just boop her nose? Before she could gear up for a full on attack of Gilbert Blythe, Al appeared with the beers and held his hand out for the money, she slapped the money in his hand and told him to keep the change and grabbed the beer, and headed for the table. As soon as she was seated with Gilbert beside her, she asked him.

"What the actual fuck? Babe? I do not need to be rescued."

"Sorry, Ruby asked me to make sure you were okay. Diana said I should say you were my girlfriend so the guy would leave you alone." He told her before he picked up his bottle of beer. She swung her gaze to Diana and Ruby who were nodding at her questioning look. 

"Thanks for the help but I didn't need it."

Diana got the next round, and Paul the fourth, Anne was feeling a very pleasant buzz, that had her laughing at everyone's jokes and stories, even Gilbert's. She found herself locking eyes with him more and more as the night progressed, usually when one of them caught the other looking. Sometimes their arms would brush against each other, and she would feel that same intense feeling, she had felt with his hand on her waist. Paul and Gilbert went to choose some music on the jukebox and Diana and Ruby instantly leaned in.

"Dude...what is up with you and Gilbert?" Diana asked.

"What? Nothing? Why? Did he say something?"

"You guys just keep staring at each other, and when we were dancing, he barely looked away from you." Diana told her.

"And when that creeper was talking to you at the bar, he looked so mad. " Ruby told her. "He clenched his jaw, I could actually see it it tightening."

"He practically ran over there when we asked him to." Diana said.

"He's just the kind of guy that likes to play white knight." Anne tried to dismiss it and to ignore the nerves settling in her stomach. "Beside...no distractions on the job."

"But we're almost done, the investigation is over, once we finish reviewing the data it's just editing." Diana reminded her.

"That's true...can I go out with Moody if he asks?" Ruby asked.

"There would be no reason not to, but remember to keep all our info private." Anne warned.

"You too. Once Gilbert is kissing you, you might just spill the beans." Diana teased. 

"As if..." Anne did her best to appear nonchalant but she couldn't help but to steal a glance at Gilbert, who was pointing at something in the jukebox, a song, she guessed. "I'm going to go to see if they are ready to go soon."

"Whatever you say." Diana said in a sing song voice, clearly not believing her excuse. Anne rolled her eyes and walked over to the guys.

"Hey..." Gilbert greeted her with a huge smile. His eyes were glassy, and he had a couple of red spots on his cheeks from the alcohol. 

"Hi." She greeted him back, neither of them noticing Paul muttering to himself about wrestling bears, as he walked away back to the table.

"Finally picked a few songs." He told her.

"Anything good?"

"I think so." She noticed he took a step closer to her, she didn't move away.

"I was going to suggest it was time to leave, but if you have your songs already queued up...we should at least wait for them to play."

"We can go if you are tired." He offered.

"No, not at all. I just thought we would only have a couple of drinks, anymore and I may get sloppy." She warned and he lifted his eyebrow.

"Should I buy another round?" He teased.

"I'd rather go back to ours and have another shot of tequila. This beer is making me bloated." She told him, patting her tummy. He leaned back and looked down at her stomach, a long slow look, before he dragged his eyes up to her face again.

"Looks amazing to me." He told her.

"Oh...thanks. I know Paul likes to tease but this is a great shirt." She said to him, reaching out to straighten his collar, that had started to flip upward. She could feel the heat from his body against her hand, her thumb brushed against the underside of his jaw and she saw the tendon move, and remembered when Ruby had said he had clenched his jaw. 

"Yours is quite fetching too." He said to her, looking down, she could feel his gaze on her breasts, before one of his hands reached out to fiddle with the strings knotted against her midriff, before it began to trace one of the strands as it travelled across her stomach.

The familiar intro to "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band came on, and his eyes widened and he grinned even harder. "This is one of my songs!" He grabbed her hand to spin her around and then pulled her into his arms to dance, hands on her hips, her arms automatically went up to his shoulders, thoroughly enjoying the way his muscles moved under her hands, the way her breasts pressed against his chest, and how his leg would brush between hers sometimes was more intoxicating than any of the Canadians had been all night. He sang along to the song while they danced and she could help but sing along with him, lost in the moment. He stared into her eyes and sang "You're the cutest thing that I ever did see, I really love your peaches want to shake your tree." which was really cheesy but she couldn't help but smile and sing back "Ohh wee baby, I'll sure show you a good time."

When the song ended, he held her for a moment longer before Footloose started playing. "We should go." He said.

"What about your songs?"

"We can listen to them back at yours."

"Let's go then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canadian Content
> 
> Canadian - Molson's Canadian a brand of beer  
> Toonie - A two dollar coin


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much shirbert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, commenting and leaving kudos!! They are much appreciated. 
> 
> Nothing scary in this one either. It's starting to get fluffy in here.

Diana had gone to bed shortly after they returned home, not even partaking in the shots of tequila Anne was pouring. The rest of them sat around talking and drinking, and listening to music. Anne and Gilbert were sat on the couch, his arm on the back, behind her, neither of them noticing the shared looks of Paul and Ruby. 

When Gilbert went to the washroom, Anne noticed Ruby glance at Paul who was falling asleep slouching down in the chair he was in. "I'm tired, I want to go to sleep." Ruby whispered. 

"So go to bed." Anne said, confused.

"I can't leave you down here, drunk and alone with two almost strangers." Ruby said.

"Well Paul is waiting for Tillie, we should just help him up to her room." Anne suggested.

"So I leave you alone with one strange man?" Anne laughed, Ruby was usually the one everyone protected, and it was adorable, sweet and heartwarming to know she was trying to protect Anne. 

"I'll drink a cup of coffee and sober up. I'm just not ready to go to bed, I don't want to dream about it." She admitted, and Ruby understood, they were all suffering from the after effects of the Malefic.

"You want to come sleep in my bed?" She offered.

"Maybe, I'll hang out with Gilbert for a bit, the others should be back soon, and then if I feel like I need it, I'll come cuddle."

When Gilbert came back, he helped Paul up the stairs and Ruby led him to Tillie's room. Anne was halfway up the stairs to change into some comfortable clothes when she heard Ruby talking to Gilbert. "Gilbert I hope I can count on you not to take advantage of a drunk, vulnerable woman." Ruby said to him.

"I...uh...I think you're nice Ruby but I'm not really inter...." He fumbled for words.

"Not me! Anne."

"What! No. Never. Why would you even think that?" He asked her.

"I know how hormones can be when you are drinking."

"Ruby, I have never, I promise you, had sex with someone who was drunk and unable to give consent." He assured her and then followed it up when it seemed he thought of something. "Well there was Winnie, we had drunk sex a lot but we were together for a while."

Anne covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "Gilbert I don't need to know your sexual history. Just do not do anything that could cause her any trauma or pain."

"I won't. Goodnight Ruby." She heard his footsteps coming toward the stairs and she began to creep down. "Hey Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"I can kiss her right? If she lets me." He sounded so ernest that Anne had to suppress another giggle, she left before she could hear Ruby's answer and ran to the kitchen, pouring herself a mug of coffee and began making a grilled cheese. 

Gilbert entered the kitchen a moment later. "You want one?" She asked pointing at the sandwich in the pan.

"Please. Is it alright if I help myself?" He asked pointing to the coffee maker, and she nodded. She couldn't help but think of his conversation with Ruby, she had a bubble of excitement building up in her stomach. She buttered the bread and checked on the first sandwich, flipping it over, and then got the cheese for the second sandwich. When the first sandwich was a perfect golden brown, she put it on a plate and cut it into four pieces. 

"This one is done, you may as well take it and I'll eat this one." She pointed at the uncooked bread, unable to keep the anticipation at bay. Knowing he wanted to kiss her and was waiting for the perfect moment was killing her. 

"You sure?" He asked. She smiled and nodded and held the pate out toward him, as he came toward her, she put the plate back on the counter and grabbed a hold of his shirt, pulling him closer to her, her other hand dropping the spatula and moving to the back of his neck, pulling his head down toward hers. There was zero resistance on his part, his hands slipping around her waist to hold her, an involuntary shiver of pleasure washed over her at the warm contact of his hands on her skin, a sigh escaping from her. She could feel his thumbs, just brushing against the sides of her breasts, feel his chest pressed against hers, her nipples hard and desperate for attention. He never pressed her to deepen the kiss, and she kept it tongue free, smiling up at him when she broke the embrace and stepped away, checking her pan hadn't gotten too hot, before she assembled her sandwich in the pan. 

Gilbert was just standing there, grinning at her, his elation evident on his face. "Eat your grilled cheese Blythe, I just toiled over a hot stove for you." She teased.

"Thanks..." He said, she wasn't sure if he was thanking her for the sandwich or the kiss, he picked up the plate, and moved toward the table but not before he leaned in and kissed the top of her head, her stomach did a flip at the simple but intimate gesture. 

Gilbert just stared at her, she had kissed him, just grabbed him and kissed him, no one had done that before...well unless he was in an established relationship with them first. The pressure of the first kiss was off and he hadn't had to gauge her mood and signs to see if she would be receptive. It had felt Herculean to not lift her up onto the counter and kiss her until her lips were swollen, to not lead her upstairs and take her in every way possible. He was sitting there, looking at her ass, while she flipped her sandwich, he wanted to feel it in his hands, to squeeze it and kiss it and take a bite of it...

"You like ketchup?" She asked, turning around and catching him looking at her butt, she didn't look mad and he didn't feel the embarrassment he should have. 

"Of course." He took the ketchup and squeezed some out and slid it back over to her, where she did the same and dipped a corner of her grilled cheese into the ketchup and took a bite, and he did the same.

"I heard you." She told him taking another bite.

"Heard me what?"

"You and Ruby."

"Oh..." He felt the blush fill his face. He winced when he remembered he had talked about fucking Winnie.

"You can kiss me again after we eat...it you want." She told him.

"I do want."

He had more willpower than he thought. He had waited for her to finish eating, helped her rinse off the plates and put them in the dishwasher, and then followed her back out to the living room where she sat on the middle of the couch, and was swiping on her phone, a second later "The Joker" came on the bluetooth speaker, Gilbert laughed and sat down next to her, putting and arm around her and pulling her in close to him, nuzzling his face into her hair, breathing in the scent of her. Then he lifted her face to his, and lowered his mouth, feeling her lean into him more, and he eased her sideways into his lap, her back against the arm of the couch, one arm around her, fingers very close to her side boob. The other hand cradled her face while he kissed her. They stopped kissing when they heard keys in the front door, the others were back, She jumped out of his lap and moved to the opposite side of the couch, grabbing her phone and pretending to look at it.

"Hey guys...how did it go?" She asked as the Josie, Jane and Tillie entered the living room. 

"Gilbert is still here." Tillie pointed out.

"So is Paul, passed out in your room." Gilbert told her. Tillie's eyes lit up with excitement and she ran to put the bags she carried away in the dining room. 

"Why don't I take the rest of this stuff, you two have been working hard all night." He offered, grabbing the three bags and two cases in one go. Jane rushed over to Anne and sat on the couch beside her.

"Anne you slut, Diana sent us pictures of you and Gilbert at Rotgut's!" Jane teasing smile was filled with happiness and not judgement. "It's about time you got laid."

"I'm not...we didn't have sex." She whispered, looking toward the door Gilbert had left through.

"Yet." Josie said. "I like him, you could do worse."

"She's just saying that because she flirted the entire night with Charlie." Jane tattled on Josie.

"No I didn't we were perfectly professional."

"When the cameras were on, at least." Jane muttered. "How come I am the only one not getting any? What about that Bash guy that sometimes films with CHAPS? I could give him a test run." 

"Isn't he really old?" Josie asked in horror.

"He's like 25." Jane said.

"33 next month actually." Gilbert interrupted from the doorway, leaning against the door jamb, hands in his pockets. "And married."

"Damn it." Jane said glumly, standing up. "I'm going to head to bed." They all wished her a good night, she was halfway up them when she called out. "Hey Gilbert, you got any brothers, cousins, friends?"

"I'll think about it." He replied chuckling. "Is she serious?"

"Very. I'm heading up too." Josie said to them. After she was gone he moved to sit by Anne on the couch.

"I guess I should get an Uber." He said reluctantly. Part of her wanted to tell him to stay, to come upstairs with her and hold her in his arms and kiss her until she fell asleep. But she didn't.

"If you're free tomorrow, I'm going to continue reviewing the footage and recordings tomorrow.

"Sounds good, I'll come by about 3pm?" He stood up and walked toward the front door to wait for his Uber.

"Okay, text me if anything changes and you can't make it." She said walking with her. He hugged her tightly and then kissed her softly until he got the notification his Uber was there.

"Good night Anne."

"Night Gilbert." She watched him get into the car, and then shut and locked the door. She checked the back door to make sure it was locked, and turned out the lights as she moved through the house. Upstairs she changed into pajamas, washed the make up off her face and brushed her teeth, often getting lost in her replay of the night again and again. She crept quietly into Ruby's room and climbed into the bed next to her, falling asleep to memories of chocolate curls and soft lips.

Gilbert - M&C made plans with J,J & T @ 4. I'll come by then, if that's ok  
Anne - Sounds good  
Anne - We are making a huge pot of tomato sauce, bring your appetites.  
Gilbert - OMG I am drooling, I haven't had homemade sauce in months.  
Anne - See you later

When he had woke up in the morning, Charlie and Moody had busted his balls for the pictures Diana had sent to Josie and the girls. "Keeping it strictly professional, eh Gilbert?" Moody had said before Gilbert could even drink some coffee.

"Slow dancing at Rotgut's? Who even does that?" Charlie asked Moody. Moody shrugged and pointed at Gilbert.

"Oh fuck off." Gilbert said, refusing to be annoyed by them, she had kissed him and it had been fucking great. "It stayed professional while we were on an actual site investigating, same can't be said for you can it Charlie?"

"It's not my fault that Josie recognizes, not only brilliance but the signature Sloane sex appeal." Charlie rubbed his own chest for emphasis.

Moody shook his head in disgust. "Just stop Charlie." He said. 

They filled him in on the events of their investigation, they had heard some whispers that were picked up on the recorders but would need to be cleaned up in hopes of making out what was said. "Not much else, though." Moody told him.

"Yeah we didn't get much at the Gray house either." Gilbert told them.

"It sucks we have so much evidence from that church and we can't post anything." Charlie grumbled.

"Yet." Gilbert reminded them. "Let's just hope that Ngwe'ji'jg and her colleagues can help the souls trapped there."

He changed his shirt three times before settling on a black cardigan over a grey Henley, and a pair of faded jeans. Should he just wear his Leafs hoodie? No he wanted to look nice and Mary bought him the cardigan and said it was very fashionable...he hoped Anne liked it. He hadn't fussed over his clothes like this since...he could remember. Highschool had been an endless revolution of track pants, jeans and hoodies. Winnie had picked out his suit for prom, and in the event of the occasional date he had just pulled out his reliable dress shirt and a pair of trousers. Now he was acting like he was appearing on the cover of GQ magazine. 

He drove and insisted on going to Crumbles first to pick up a couple of the Crumb Bum boxes, the boxes filled with a selection of treats, his father taught him to never show up for a dinner invitation empty handed. The gesture was received warmly judging by the squeals that Diana and Jane emitted when they saw the box.

"Tell me you got a lemon square." Jane asked, taking the boxes from his hands so he could hang up his jacket.

"Several." He answered. He took off his coat and hung it in the closet that Diana opened for them. 

"Damn, Blythe." She eyed him appreciatively.

"Is it okay? Not too much?" He asked her quietly.

"It's great. That hair though..."

"I can not do anything with it. No matter what I put in it, it just curls up and does this?" He pointed at the unruly curls on top of his head. "I should just shave it off."

"Don't you dare." Came Anne's voice. She came from the hallway that led to the kitchen, wearing an apron with a red haired mermaid, swimming with a variety of sea creatures. Diana seemed to disappear because suddenly she wasn't there, and he was alone with Anne.

"So you're saying you like this mop on my head?" He asked her grinning, and she stepped closer to him. 

"I'm saying that you would look ridiculous with a shaved head." Her eyes seemed to sparkle. He opened his arms, signalling he was about to hug her, in case she was sober now and didn't want him to touch or kiss her, she slid right into them and pressed her cheek against his chest, and he enveloped her in his arms, inhaling her scent, vanilla sugar and today the smell of basil, oregano and garlic.

"If the sauce tastes as good as you smell..." he said and she laughed, looking up at him and he knew that was his cue, he leaned in and touched his lips to hers. She made a noise in the back of her throat that sounded a lot like a whimper and sent an electric pulse straight to his dick. 

"Anne stop bear wrestling and come help us." Josie called out from the kitchen and the two broke apart with a chuckle.

"At least I'm not doing it out on the front porch in broad daylight." She yelled back.

"Yet." Gilbert whispered close to her ear that had her cackling with laughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if it is a Canadian thing, I know my American friends are horrified by it, but grilled cheese and ketchup is delicious! And I am not even a huge ketchup lover.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We check in with Cole and Gilbert romances Anne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing scary in this one. 
> 
> I thought I had made Cole Anne's foster brother, but I literally could not find it when I skimmed through. If I didn't...sorry! LOL

Anne smiled when she saw Cole walking toward her, it had been a month since she had last seen him at the church, his confidence and spirit shattered. His boyfriend Roy, insisted he attend a two week meditation spa, and he was finally back. She jumped up from the table and threw her arms around his neck.

"I have missed you so much." She told him, leaning back to look at his face. He smiled, but she noticed it didn't reach his eyes, he had dark circles under his eyes and a grim set to his mouth.

"I missed you too."

"How was it? Did you have an dirty, nasty hook ups?" She asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I think you are the one that should be answering that." He said to her. He knew, he must have seen her and Gilbert kissing in his mind...or however it worked. Not that it had been particularly dirty or nasty. Gilbert had hung out at her places a few more times, while they got the video finished, and twice just to hang out and watch movies, they had engaged in a lot more kissing, frantic and hard when she had pulled him into the bathroom for a few minutes, soft and tender when he would say good night, and slow and deep a few times on the couch, after the others had gone to bed. Neither of them seemed willing to make the next move, to go farther or even to define the relationship, she couldn't help but wonder if they were just friends who made out sometimes? 

"Oh my God!! Did you see that? What else do you see?"

"No I didn't see that, I try not to predict the sex lives of my friends. Diana told me."

"Oh..."

"Oh...how is it?" He asked, a cheerful look finally coming to his face.

"Just kissing, nothing serious."

"Hmmm." He seemed to consider it.

"Ok...enough about that. I missed you and was worried about you." She told him, grabbing his hand to squeeze it.

"I'm sorry to worry you and the others. But it really got inside my head. I don't know if I can ever talk to the spirits again." he told her. 

"But you are so gifted."

"I can still see and sense things, Stuff that doesn't come from them, but I just can't converse with them now."

"Can you do that? Ignore them, not listen?" She asked him.

"Most of the time, I did learn some techniques that seem to be helping."

"I hope you know that you are so loved by all of us and if you need anything, you had better call me."

"Well there is one thing..."

"Anything, name it." 

"Help me think up a costume for Halloween."

Anne and her friends never went investigating on Halloween, they were too likely to run into kids looking to spook themselves on the most haunted night of the year. So instead they had themed halloween parties. Last year it had been horror movie inspired, Josie as Carrie and Diana as Samara from The Ring had been amazing. The year before was Disney themed, Ruby's pleading had won out and Ruby had made a perfect Cinderella, Anne had been Anna to Josie's Elsa. This year they were doing 80s movie themed costumes, she had invited Gilbert, knowing that Ruby, Tillie and Josie were inviting Moody, Paul and Charlie, and she knew that Gilbert would be hurt if he wasn't invited, and she wanted him there. She wanted to dance with him, talk with him and steal kisses from him when no one was looking. 

Gilbert - Hey  
Anne - Hey!  
Gilbert - I probably shouldn't do this over text but I am in a car with Bash and Delphine and I don't want him to tease me until the end of time...do you want to go on a date with me?  
Anne -Yes :)  
Gilbert - Awesome! Are you free tomorrow night?  
Anne - It is rather last minute...LOL Yes I'm free.  
Gilbert - I'll be at your place at 7, dress warm.

He was still five minutes early, after waiting ten minutes in his car, he rang the bell, and waited for someone to answer it. It was Jane. "Hi Gilbert."

"Jane, how are you doing?"

"I'm okay. Did you think of someone to set me up with? You've got to know some doctor school people. I'll take a woman too."

"Jesus Jane, have some dignity." Josie said.

"Are you saying me be willing to keep an open mind and date any gender is not having dignity?" Jane countered.

"Begging your friend's boyfriend for a hookup is so desperate and completely lacking dignity." Josie told her. "Gilbert bring a few friends from school to the Halloween party, but not assholes, just good guys...and gals." Josie was telling him but his brain was short circuiting. Boyfriend? Was he Anne's boyfriend? He smiled at the idea. 

"Anne! Gilbert is here!" Josie yelled up the stairs. 

"Coming." She called from up the stairs. When she did come down a few moments later, it was like she was floating to him. She had on a pair of jeans, he fucking loved when she wore jeans, a thick red sweater, and a pair of hiking boots, her fair was in a low ponytail, with several pieces loose and framing her face.

"You look amazing." He told her. She laughed at that.

"Thanks." She opened the closet to take out her coat, a thick fall jacket, put on a slouchy hat that matched her mittens.

"So where are we going? Skating?" She asked as he got on the highway leading out of Charlottetown.

"My brother told me about something they were doing tonight in the town I grew up in."

"By Hester Gray's house." She said.

"Yes, not too far from there, Avonlea."

"Oh I had lunch there once, at the diner that serves a surprising amount of West Indian dishes. I had the ackee and saltfish."

"You were in Mary's? That's my sister in law."

"Get out! I knew the island was small...but I didn't expect it to be that small. She was so nice, she let me try a bite of the ackee first, I also tried the curry duck."

"Next time get the crab callaloo. It is magic."

"I will. I can't believe you are related to the owner." She chuckled. "So what are we doing?"

"You'll see." He said cryptically.

"Avonlea's Haunted Maze and Hayride?" She asked reading the sign.

"There is also face painting." He told her.

"It's not much, but it is fun, and all the money they raise goes to Dellie's school, for new instruments." He told her. 

"A noble cause indeed" She said sliding her arm through his. 

It was only a $2 donation to get in but Gilbert gave $20, and he smiled when he saw Anne digging in her wallet and pulling out a $20 as well.

They wandered around looking at the stalls, where locals were selling their crafts and baked goods. She bought herself a scarf, a pair of earrings made from silver and seaglass, a couple of pounds of fudge for the girls and a pair of rainbow toe socks for Cole. He bought some candy apples for Moody and Charlie, and a caramel one for Paul, and a new toque for himself. While they were waiting in line for the hayride, he dropped a kiss on her nose, cold and red from the temperature, she smiled up at him. 

"Have you figured out what you are going to be for Halloween?" She asked.

"I have."

"Well?" She prodded.

"What are you going as?" He asked.

"You know it's a secret." 

"So is mine then." He winked. 

They climbed onto the wagon, and found a spot , he put his arm around her and she snuggled into him. "Don't worry, this won't be too scary." He laughed.

It was a clear night, with a crescent moon so the stars were visible and spectacular, she stared up at the stars while they waited for the other riders to climb in, he stared at her. The driver drove them through the woods, stopping at a clearing where there would be different "scary" scenarios, a witch casting a spell and eyeing the wagon load of visitors for the last ingredient, like the toe of one man or the finger of a lady. Another had vampires, another a werewolf, a few ghosts popped out from behind trees, it was very family friendly and none of the kids on the wagon were too frightened. 

Afterward they got corn dogs off a food truck, played a few games, all of them rigged, at least that's what he claimed. There was no way he was that bad at throwing a ball. They were heading for the Haunted Maze when a bundle of pink attacked him, wrapping her arms around his waist. 

"Uncle Gilby! Daddy said you might be here, I was looking and looking and I thought you didn't come. Daddy said you were going to bring a hot date, so I looked again and I saw you! How can it be hot when it's so cold out?" The tiny voice said, eliciting laughter from Anne and a groan from Gilbert.

"Delphine, you do not have to repeat everything your father says. In fact, it's probably best if you never repeat what he says. Don't listen to him at all...it's safer and smarter." He told her, tapping her nose.

"Dellie girl, tell your uncle that your Papa is always right. And it's me you should all be listening too." His brother Bash joined them, his wife Mary following behind, carrying a huge stuffed carnival prize version of George from Peppa Pig. Anne nudge him and whispered.

"I thought all the games were rigged." Bash heard and laughed.

"You can't even win your lady a prize. Blythe have you learned nothing from me?"

"Mama won the big George." Dellie confirmed Gilbert's suspicions, Bash's throwing arm was worse than Gilbert's, Mary however had played softball and basketball through highschool and university.

"Hi I'm Mary, Gilbert's sister in law, this is my husband Bash, and our daughter Delphine."

"Hello, but we met once before. I've had the pleasure of eating you your diner, two summers ago."

"And you haven't come back? Too spicy?" Mary asked.

"Not at all! Just haven't found myself back this way again, but I'm sure I'll make my way out here again."

"Well don't wait for Gilbert to invite you, you come anytime." Mary told her. Gilbert couldn't help but smile and the two women chatted. Then Bash and Dellie squeezed their way in and tried to talk to her. He laughed and winced as Bash did his best to embarrass Gilbert, rolling his eyes and shaking his head.

"Okay guys, I think it's time that I got back to my date." He stressed the word my. "It's way past your bedtime too Dellie." He reminded her, reaching out for a hug goodbye.

"Mama says it's okay because this is a special noccation...like Christmas Eve."

"It sure is a special occasion Dellie, it's not everyday Uncle Gilby can get a date." Bash got in one last joke before Mary led them away.

"I am so sorry, I should have warned you." He said, she shook her head and smiled. 

"They were wonderful. Everything a family should be. Wait til you meet Jerry, he's my brother...well foster brother but he loves teasing me too." She said. His heart skipped when she said he would meet her brother one day. First Josie called him Anne's boyfriend and now she's thinking of future events where he might meet her brother? Hadn't she just met his family? 

"Foster?" He asked and then wondered if that was a sensitive subject. "Sorry, you don't have to answer, I shouldn't have asked such a personal question."

"It's alright, I don't mind. I'm an orphan, my parents died when I was three, when I was 12, I got fostered by the most wonderful people in the world. A brother and sister who never married, they took me in, then Jerry and Cole, we were so lucky to have them." She had a tragic life, losing both parents in one moment, he noted she said she wasn't fostered with her family until she was 12, what happened for those nine years in between? She was more like him than he had realised.

"I'm an orphan too." He told her. "Both my parents are dead. Bash is my brother in heart and soul but not by blood." She stopped to look at him, was she looking to see if he was making fun of her or making a joke. Finally she put her arm through his again and leaned her head on his shoulder, squeezing his arm tightly.

The maze was not difficult to navigate, but everytime they took a wrong turn and came to a dead end, Anne would take the dark corner as the perfect place to kiss. So she would grab his neck, face, shirt, once his hair, pull him down to her and feast on his mouth. Gilbert started taking wrong turns on purpose, She was clearly aware but never mentioned it, just happily kissed him. 

They found their way out eventually, shared a bag of cotton candy on the walk back to the car. They chatted about their favourite 80s movies, both being very careful not to reveal their costumes, on the ride back to Anne's place. They greatly debated Running Man vs Total Recall, Gilbert gave Running Man the edge because of the many outlandish deaths and cheesy one liners. He didn't want to end the night, but he was pulling on to her street, and up to her house, they both had classes in the morning. 

"I had a really good time tonight." She told him. "It was a great idea, thanks for taking me."

"I did too. "I won't be able to come by until the party, I have several papers due and I want to get them done beofre I destroy too many brain cells at your party."

"Okay, facetime me if you get a few minutes."

"I will make time." He walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight. He was tempted to push it farther, he thought he could entice her to invite him in and to her room, but he didn't want to rush things. 

"Good night Anne."

"Night."


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Halloween for the gang!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments and support guys! I have to admit, I always get a chuckle at how strange Canada must seem to the rest of the world. 
> 
> Prepare yourselves, I have gone twelve chapters without anything smutty...you all know I couldn't hold out forever. 
> 
> CW some light drug use

Gilbert waited out front of Anne's for his friends from school to show up. He had asked a few of the ones he knew to be good guys, respectful. They pulled up in a cab and got out, each of them greeting Gilbert with a bro hug, grinning at his costume.

"Sick costume." Jaden said. He was dressed in military fatigues, including having his face painted in a camouflage pattern. 

"Who are you?" Gilbert asked. 

"Schwarzenegger from Predator." He answered. Derek was dressed as Snake Plissken from Escape From New York, and Connor was dressed as Axel Foley from Beverly Hills Cop. 

"Let's go then boys." He said, he knew the other members of CHAPS were already here, he was excited to see their costumes and of course Anne's. She hadn't told him what it was but she did say that it was outside of her comfort zone. He couldn't help but hope for Princess Leia...when she was being held captive by Jabba the Hutt and had on the metallic bikini top.

Diana answered the in all black, her hair hanging in her eyes and so much black eyeliner. "Gilbert! What are you supposed to be?" She asked looking him up and down. 

"I'm Ray Peterson, from the The 'Burbs." He told her, did she not know one of the greatest 80s films ever made?

"Okay..."

"Who are you? Winona Ryder?"

"I'm Allison from The Breakfast Club." She told him. She waved them all inside and he introduced his friends, then made his way inside, they had decorated. There were glowing jack o'lanterns, fake cobwebs, bats, a mummy up in the corner of the ceiling, and an eerie green light in the living room. He looked around quickly and didn't see Anne, he did see Josie dressed as Buttercup from The Princess Bride, in a long flowing red dress and a tall skinny Dread Pirate Roberts next to her, his face covered with the black mask, and recognized Charlie's frame. A couples costume...how very Charlie, he thought shaking his head. He passed Ruby in the hallway, she was dressed as Baby from Dirty Dancing, she looked adorable and he told her so as he introduced her to his friends.

"Jane will be pleased." She whispered to him and continued on her way. In the kitchen he found Paul and Tillie, they also had a couples costume and it kicked ass. Paul was dressed as a Ghostbuster, and Tillie was dressed as Dana from the film, in the sexy red dress she wears when she is possessed by the Gatekeeper, he noticed Paul kept dropping kisses on Tillie's bare shoulder and Tillie smiled happily every time.

He approached the couple and greeted them, dropping his case of beer on the counter, he knew there would be tons of alcohol already here, but he couldn't show up empty handed. He noted that Derek and Conner also left their beer on the counter, Jaden wasn't planning to drink but he did pop a cannabis gummy bear into his mouth, offered one to Gilbert, who shrugged and took one too. 

"Wait until you see Anne." Tillie said, "She looks....amazing." Behind her Paul nodded in agreement.

"Dude...just dude." Paul said. Gilbert's curiosity was killing him, maybe she was dressed as The Little Mermaid, Anne in a seashell bra...he could spend the night looking at that. 

"Where is she?" He asked them.

"Maybe outback?" Tillie pointed to the rear door and Gilbert made his way out there alone, his friends had stayed behind with Paul and Tillie and the table of food. Out back was a fire pit and several chairs surrounding it, there were also two of those outdoor propane heaters, keeping the area comfortably warm. He could smell cigarette smoke and weed, he didn't see Anne but there was Moody, dressed like Marty McFly, a more perfect costume did not exist.

"Moody, why are you in here and not dancing up on Ruby?" Gilbert asked him.

"She's gone to the washroom. I'm saving a spot for her." He grinned and patted his lap.

"You see Anne around?" He was beginning to wonder if she was wearing a mask or face covering. 

"Not for at least twenty minutes."

They chatted for a few more minutes before Gilbert went back inside to look for Anne, he found Jane, firmly in the middle of his friends wearing an aerobics outfit. She had on grey tights, over that was a dark blue unitard that went up and over the shoulders like a bathing suit but had nothing to cover the chest area, instead Jane was wearing a grey bandeau style top under it that said Shermer High Phys Ed, she had on running shoes and leg warmers, a whistle on a string around her neck. He had no idea who she was supposed to be, but she looked hot, and it was clear that Derek, Connor and Jaden also thought so. 

"Thank you Gilbert." She said as he walked up, referring to his friends. He just shrugged and laughed, was the gummy kicking in? He finished his beer and grabbed another, picking a cherry tomato off a platter and popping it into his mouth, chewing and perusing for his next snack, which turned out not to be on the table, but walking into the room. Her hair was down, styled to one side, she had on a lot of makeup, dramatic eyeshadow, false lashes, dark red lips, and a sparkling red dress clinging to, or barely hanging onto her body. The slit on the side exposed her entire leg, straight to her hip, the bustier on top revealed not only all of her back and shoulders but so much of her breasts, she had long satin purple gloves that went passed her elbows. She was Jessica Rabbit, and he couldn't breathe. 

"I'm not bad...I'm just drawn that way." She said the most famous line from the film, her voice low and husky, putting a hand on her hip and waiting for his reaction. He felt like his eyes were coming out of his head and his tongue was hanging out, like in the old cartoons. "What are you supposed to be?" She asked, breaking character. 

"Ray Peterson, from The 'Burbs." He replied somehow. "You look...oh my God." He could not think, he blamed the edible, it had to be stronger than he had thought it would be. Anne smiled at his reaction and then held up her phone, slid off one of her gloves and typed something on her phone.

"Tom Hanks! You are a Tom Hanks character? How perfect, you make those pajamas quite adorable." She told him.

"Thanks." He said, but he honestly didn't think anyone was going to notice him with her there. 

"I missed you." She said as she edged closer to him.

"Me too." He said staring at her cleavage, unable to stop himself. When he finally dragged his eyes back up to look at her she was looking at him with an amused look. 

"I know I should be offended, but...I'm not." She laughed. She was finally close enough that he could touch her, to put his hand on her satin covered forearm, and then around her waist, pulling her toward him, letting his fingers dance over the warm skin on her back. He hugged her for a moment, smelling her hair, loving the way she squeezed him back. 

"I don't know how I am going to control myself tonight." He told her, kissing her ear. 

"I'm sure you'll manage." She teased. "Now introduce me to your friends. I want to guess which one Jane is going to go for before she decides."

She almost chickened out, it was so revealing and definitely not something she would normally ever wear, usually she dressed up in a more modest way, but wasn't that what the night was for? For girls to wear a sexy outfit and get the attention of the guy they were into? The other's insisted she looked amazing, and she knew it looked good, sexy, but she wasn't used to being so overtly sexual. The way Gilbert was staring at her, like a starving man seeing food for the first time in weeks, that gave her a lot more confidence. She wasn't planning on getting drunk, maybe just a drink or two, she didn't want to get so out of it and risk one or both tits falling out of the dress, even though she had both of them taped to the dress to prevent just that, she didn't dare risk it. She did take one of Jaden's gummies, when she saw Gilbert taking one, his second he told her. She didn't move around too much if she was really high, would sit on the couch and have deep conversations about the colour blue, or how popcorn tastes like the sun.

She liked his friends, Derek was really funny, he told a ton of stories about his professors that had them all laughing. Connor was really smart, he was actually a year younger than the others, graduating high school ahead of schedule, and getting into school with a full scholarship, having achieved not only the highest GPA in his school but his entire city. No small feet since he was from Vancouver and it was a large city. Jaden was quieter than the other two but Anne wondered if that was because of the edibles, he would occasionally drop in a profound, intelligent statement, even when they were discussing which fast food place has the best french fries, he gave a top three list, with factors like crispiness, salt levels and amounts of actual fries, as his reasons, Anne couldn't disagree with his choices. 

When Cole and Roy arrived Roy was dressed as Tootsie, in a red glittering dress that rivaled Anne's, she had to admit, he accessorized better than she had, and Cole was dressed as Steph from The Goonies. "Roy was going in drag, so I figured I needed to do it in solidarity." Said as he explained his outfit. "How does no one remember Steph? She is the voice of reason that everyone ignores the entire time." 

"Gilbert can not take his eyes off you, and it is not just the dress." Cole told her as Roy and Gilbert chatted. 

Maybe because she was stoned on edibles but she told Cole. "I really like him Cole. Not just in a 'he's so hot I want to do really depraved things to his body, and I hope he does them to me too' kind of way. But I like to talk to him and I care about his opinion." She admitted.

"I know, everyone does." He told her, patting her arm.

"They do?"

"Yes and we all approve, now go flirt with that man before Roy steals him away from you."

The party was winding down, Ruby was now straddling Moody, out by the firepit, arms around his neck, kissing him, Diana was dancing with Jaden, there seemed to be no attraction between them, but he had a keen love for music, specifically opera and Diana found a new best friend in him. Josie was snuggled up next to Charlie, her head on his shoulder, his arm around her, they would whisper and giggle every few seconds and Anne was bewildered by the pairing but happy for them. Cole and Roy had left before midnight because they had a puppy that needed to be walked, Anne thought Cole had seemed genuinely happy a few times at least. Tillie and Paul had left a while ago to go back to Paul's apartment, his roommate was gone for the night and they were going to make use of the privacy. Jane had told her that she couldn't decide between Connor and Derek and wasn't going to, at least not that night, they all went up to Jane's room, leaving Anne and Gilbert standing with open mouth shock, and a little curiosity on both their parts.

"How do you even know who to does what to?" Anne asked. Gilbert shrugged.

"I honestly don't know."

"I mean I guess Jane has the easy part of it, she just has to lie there and they have their way with her." Anne thought out loud. And Gilbert laughed at that.

"You clearly don't watch porn."

"Not really, but it really makes you wonder what they are going to do. Like both of them at the same time?" She couldn't help but picture the three of them engaging in some pretty perverse acts. 

"Jesus Anne, don't make me picture that...not when you are dressed like that." He groaned.

"But I have so many questions. Like is it awkward after? Are they Bi? What if one of the guys touches the other guy but he's not into it? And how do they decide who's what goes where? Do they just go at her and she lays there, does she have any control in it?"

"Well I hope they go over over all that before they start." He told her, taking a long swallow of his beer, she watched his throat and his adam's apple moving while he drank. She licked her lips and let her eyes travel over him while his head was tipped back, his jawline was sharp enough to cut diamonds, the way his hair curled at the nape of his neck, her fingers itched to touch it. He lower the bottle and licked his lips, wiping away the residue of beer, she tracked his tongue and it made that quick little swipe, he caught her looking and a hungry glint shined in his eyes. She wanted to get him alone.

"Come on." She said, grabbing the sleeve of the housecoat he was wearing, tugging on it.

"Where are we going?" He asked her.

"I want to wash this makeup off, you can keep me company." She told him.

She led him to her bedroom, he looked around while she sat at her vanity table and put some makeup remover onto a cleansing pad, pulled off her fake eyelashes and began to wipe her face. It took a few pads before it was all off, then she began to brush her hair, it had been teased and and sprayed that she winced as she began to brush the snarls out.

"I'll do it." He said coming up behind her and taking the brush from her hand. She looked at him in the mirror, gently brushing her hair, starting at the ends, gently working out the knots and then moving the brush up a bit and starting the process over again. She couldn't remember the last time someone brushed her hair, maybe the hairdresser but nothing that felt this intimate. Sometimes the back of his hand would brush against her shoulder, or this fingers would touch her ear or neck, she would get a warm rush of pleasure deep in her belly when he did. He kept brushing, long after all the snarls and knots were worked out, he would slide the brush through her hair, and then his hand would follow the same route as the brush.

Her eyes were closed, her head back as she let the sensations, when he stopped she opened her eyes and locked eyes with him in the mirror, he bent over her to put the brush down on the vanity and then pulled her hair over her shoulder and holding her eyes in the mirror, kissed her neck. She tilted her head to give him more access and didn't break their shared look. When he put his hands on her shoulders, she liked how big his hands looked on her, how they were a few shades darker than her own pale skin, she couldn't help but think of how long those fingers were, how they would feel deep inside of her.

He took a hold of her hair and gently pulled on it, pulling her head back so he could lean down and kiss her mouth, groaning against her lips."I should go." He said and she guessed he was desperate to stay, she was desperate for him to stay. She knew they should have had the conversation by now, defining their relationship, past partners, diseases, birth control and comfort levels, but they hadn't and she didn't want to take the time to do it now. The need for him had been building and if she didn't have him tonight she would snap.

"I'm on the pill, I've got condoms." She told him. He kissed her again, she could feel the tension in his body, feel his fingers biting into her flesh.

"You sure?"

"Yes." She stood up and started to undo the dress, it was just a couple of clasps that held the dress closed at her waist, she giggled when he tried to help her, confused when the dress didn't fall off. "Double sided sticky tape, I was terrified they would fall out." She told him, pulling at the tape, worried it would pull her skin off. It came off, didn't rip her skin but did leave several red rectangular marks over her breasts. Gilbert didn't seem to mind because he immediately lowered his mouth to one, kissing the red spots and sucking gently on them before taking the nipple into his mouth, his free hand squeezing her other breast.

She managed to step out of the dress, while he was busy with her tits, and lead him to the bed, when the back of his knees hit the bed he let her nipple go and sat down on the bed, taking her in fully for the first time, she was wearing a black thong and the black high heeled shoes still. "Oh my God." He said, caressing her hips before he moved to push the thong down, she kicked it away and moved to take off the heels, he touched her hand and said "Leave them on." Then he leaned back and stared at her, his eyes flitting all over her body before coming to rest on the red curls between her legs. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to the skin just above the curls, breathing in deeply, smelling her, his hands going behind her and grabbing her ass and squeezing a cheek in each one. 

"I don't think I am especially kinky." He he told her, "I'm up for most things though." He told her, placing a kiss on her inner thigh, she spread her legs more, giving him greater access, he found her lips swollen and already coated in her own moisture, he groaned as he licked it all off of her legs, not touching the spot that was throbbing with need.

"I'm the same, the usual stuff, oral, anal sometimes...not tonight though, I don't mind it a bit rough but I don't want to blackout from being strangled and do not think of slapping my face or spitting on me." She warned him, running her fingers through his curls, applying gentle pressure trying to lead him to the area she needed him to put his hands or mouth.

"Who the fuck has been spitting on you?" He growled, looking up at her, a dark angry look on her face.

"No one." She insisted. "But I have heard things and I have seen porn."

"I would never spit on you or slap you...that isn't my thing."

"So what's your thing?" She asked, suddenly realizing that he was still dressed fully and she was wearing nothing but heels. 

He quickly grabbed her, pulling her onto the bed, and dropped to his knees between her wide open legs. "My thing? I've always been a people pleaser." He told her before he opened her up and swiped his tongue down over her folds, flicking at her clit, causing her to sigh at the feeling. He made a noise that sounded like "mmmm" clearly enjoying how she tasted, delving deeper with his tongue, his nose rubbing against her, causing her to lift her hips toward him. She could feel her body tightening, it was so good, she should have done this with him from that first moment in Crumbles, how was she ever going to live the rest of her life knowing that Gilbert Blythe could get a woman off with his tongue in less than five minutes, closer to three if she was being honest. It was so intense,she arched her back and tried to shut her legs, but he held them open, and continued to suck on her clit, everything in her vision disappeared as she saw only bright white lights.

Two fingers in her pussy brought her right back and she moaned loudly, he pulled away from her, to watch her while he fucked her with his fingers, her hips thrusting to meet them. 

"Oh fuck!" She cried out as a powerful orgasm hit her like a truck, her hips were going wild, she had one hand in her own hair, the other was gripping his shoulder tightly, when he put his tongue back on her clit she felt her whole body tense and she couldn't take it anymore, she tried to tell him to stop but she had no ability to speak, she weakly lifted a foot, still encased in the black heels, placed it on his shoulder and gently pushed him at him to get his attention, he pulled back, watching her as she shook through her after shocks, even the the air on her clit caused another shiver through her body. 

"Oh my God." She moaned and rolled onto her side, gasping when the pressure of her closed legs brought on another mini orgasm. "What the fuck was in those gummies?" She asked. He laughed and laid behind her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her waist, stroking his fingers over her knuckles, dropping kisses on her shoulder and back, pressing his dick against her. She realised again, he was still fully dressed

"Take off your clothes." She told him, she felt him withdraw from her and heard the rustle of clothes behind her, before he was back, warm skin pressing against the length of her body. She stretched her arm out for her bedside table and pulled open the drawer, feeling around blindly for the box of condoms, eventually she found the box she was looking for and pulled it out, opened it and took a condom out, looking back over her shoulder as she passed it back. She checked him out while he rolled onto his back to put the condom on, she already knew he was well defined under his clothes, she had felt them several times, she didn't know he had a six pack, her fingers twitched when she saw his cock, she wanted to touch him. He rolled back on his side, behind her and rubbed his dick against her dripping folds, she couldn't help the involuntary whimper she made when he nudged the head in, changing her angle slightly and hooking her top leg over his to give him better access, he pushed himself the rest of the way in, waiting for only a moment before he began to thrust in and out of her. 

His mouth was right next to her ear so she could hear every pant he took, the little gasps and moans he made as he continued to pull out only to bury himself deeper each time. The hand underneath him made its way up to her hair, where it grabbed a handful and didn't let go, giving her a pleasurable tug with every thrust. The arm not tangled in her hair came up under her arm crossing her body and holding on to her shoulder, he was picking up speed and going harder, she grabbed the arm across her body and pushed back against him, clenching her muscles inside, to grip his cock harder, helping him find his release. He came with a groan in her ear, a few more jerks of his hips while he emptied into the condom, and then he laid still behind her, his arm still gripping her, his breath warm across her face, sending a few hairs to tickle her.

"Is it okay if I stay here tonight?" He asked. 

"I'd like that." She said kissing his forearm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a list of costumes and their movies for anyone who forgot or got confused.
> 
> Anne - Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit?  
> Gilbert - Ray Peterson from The 'Burbs  
> Diana - Allison from The Breakfast Club  
> Josie - Princess Buttercup from The Princess Bride  
> Charlie - The Dread Pirate Roberts from The Princess Bride  
> Tillie - Dana from The Ghostbusters  
> Paul - A Ghostbuster  
> Ruby - Baby from Dirty Dancing  
> Moody - Marty McFly from Back to the Future  
> Jane - Lisa from Weird Science  
> Cole - Steph from The Goonies  
> Roy - Tootsie from Tootsie
> 
> Jaden - Dutch from Predator  
> Connor - Axel Foley from Beverly Hills Cop  
> Derek - Jake Plissken from Escape From New York


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas is just around the corner for Anne and Gilbert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have we all recovered from the smut? Good because now it's going to start getting creepy again.
> 
> As always I love you all and appreciate the support you always give.

November sped by in a blur, they spent almost every day together when they didn't have classes, walking going to movies or dinner, certainly every evening and most nights could find them at one or the others, snuggled into the bed. Their collaborative hunts had been edited and posted and the response was mind blowing to Gilbert, CHAPS subscriber count had gone up by almost 5, 000 and it was the most viewed video they had ever had, and the counts were going up on their older videos. 

They didn't talk much about the church or the Malefic, he knew Anne had bad dreams about it still, he would feel her twitch and flail in her sleep and then the crying would begin, he would stroke her hair and whisper she was safe, until she woke up or calmed in her sleep. Ngwe'ji'jg had told them some progress had been made but the Malefic was very old and powerful, it had been fed by the souls of those it trapped, more than just the souls of PEI. It would take time and repeated rituals to rid the Earth of it.

By the time December arrived, Gilbert was fully gone, he was head over heels in love with Anne, he wasn't so brash and foolish to tell her but he knew it was only a matter of time before it exploded from his lips. He thought she might love him too, or was starting to, he felt it when she ran her fingers over his scalp, when he was falling asleep, when she got the Cool Ranch Doritos even though she preferred the Sweet Chili Heat, and the way she sighed into his neck when he pulled her close. He didn't think she would ever say it first, and he didn't think she was ready to hear it from him just yet. He just bided his time and tried to make her feel loved by him.

It was a week until Christmas, the break had started only two days before, most of their friends had already returned home for the break, Anne and Gilbert had decided to stay in Charlottetown longer, he was close enough to his family that he only had to drive for an hour to be with them, and he still visited them at least every other weekend. Anne's family was on the mainland, and while it wasn't much time on the ferry back and forth, it was a trip she didn't enjoy in the winter weather, and the Confederation Bridge added so much extra time to her trip that it was just often not worth driving down for just a weekend. They wouldn't see each other the entire break so they took a few days at the beginning of break for just each other, no school or studying. 

Diana had left to join her family who was spending Christmas in London, Tillie and Ruby came from the same northern island town and drove home together the first day of break, Jane's family lived in Charlottetown but they always rented a cottage in Quebec for the holidays so she had left right after classes finished. Josie didn't get along with her family and was staying in Charlottetown, Charlie had invited her to his family's home for Christmas Eve and Day, and she would drive up with Gilbert when he went home on Christmas Eve. Moody and Charlie left the same day Ruby and Tillie had, driving with them as far as their route allowed. Paul was from the mainland and had taken the ferry home the first night of break.

They were snuggled on the couch watching Christmas cartoons, Josie on the reclining chair, curled up in her blanket, they had filled up on homemade tacos and Josie had brownies cooking in the oven, the Christmas tree in the corner was sparkling with blinking lights. Anne's phone rang, she looked at it and smiled. "It's Jerry." She told them, and answered.

"Hey Jerry." Her smile dropped off her face and she frowned. "What? Jerry you know I can not understand when you talk so fast in french. Is this a joke?" She motioned she would be right back and left the room, heading for the kitchen.

"What is that about?" Gilbert asked Josie, who shrugged.

"Her whole family is dramatic." Josie told him. Dramatic was a word that suited Anne, he didn't know Cole well enough to call him dramatic, he knew almost nothing about her other brother Jerry, or her adoptive parents. "So what did you get her for Christmas?"

He and Anne had had a discussion about gifts. Since they had only been together for a while, they agreed to set a limit of $100 for gifts. He had struggled with trying to find something for her, before deciding on what he hoped was something she would love. He felt like teasing Josie so he said. 

"Gift card to Canadian Tire." Josie's eyes went huge.

"You didn't." She said, then her eyes narrowed. "You aren't stupid enough to do that. What did you really get her? I won't tell."

"A charm for her bracelet, and a gift card to Crumbles." He told her after listening to hear if Anne was coming back, he could hear her on the phone in the kitchen still.

"What kind of charm?"

"You'll have to wait to find out. What did you get Charlie?" He asked her. 

"A sweater and some lingerie." She told him. Gilbert didn't say, but he knew that Josie and Charlie hadn't had sex, so the lingerie was meant to be a message to Charlie.

"Nice one Josie." He said, he noticed that he couldn't hear Anne's voice anymore. After she still hadn't joined them he called out. "Everything alright, Anne?"

"Be there in a minute." She replied. He and Josie shared a look at Anne's tone. Excited but worried, was how it sounded to him. 

"You think everything is okay?" He asked Josie.

"I don't know, you never know with Anne. She gets worked up over normal things like the first dandelions of spring and October."

"Octobers are magical Josie, you would see that if you just looked." Anne said coming back in the room. She didn't look like she had been crying so it couldn't be really bad news.

"Alright?" He asked.

"Yeah...how do you guys feel about going to the mainland tomorrow for an investigation?" She asked.

"Jerry was greatly affected by being in the foster system, we all were but his experience is different from Cole and myself. He had eight brothers and sisters when his parents died. They only had one relative who could care for them, but not all of them. The older siblings agreed that the youngest should stay together with their Uncle and his wife, the older five went into the system. They were seperated, lost touch with each other, only finding each other as they got out of the system. I know that one sister is living on the streets in Halifax, addicted to something, Jerry finds her sometimes, she won't go and stay with him, she isn't in a place where she is ready to get clean...yet. Another brother is in prison for robbing a gas station. Jerry and the other two are doing alright, one is married and has some kids, the other is in college, she's going to be a social worker like Jerry. His littlest siblings are thriving, and Jerry sees them quite often.." She felt like she needed to give them a bit of Jerry's backstory, so they understood his motivations. 

"He hates to see families broken up like that and his dream in life is to make a place where siblings in the system won't be broken up, where they can have a safe and happy place to grow, thrive and bond."

"It sounds like a great idea." Gilbert said.

"It is a great idea. It is so scary going into a new foster home or a group home. You don't know anyone, you can't trust anyone, letting your guard down can get you...hurt. So Jerry went out and bought a place without letting me check it for ghosts first. And from the sounds of it, it is really active. I'm talking items being moved around, footsteps, whispers, shadow people and being touched buy unseen things."

"It can't wait until after Christmas, when everyone is back?" Josie asked her. 

"Jerry has contractors coming the day after Boxing Day, he's freaking out. If you can't make it, I understand." Anne said to Josie.

"Because I'm doing so much. Of course I'll come. I've been wanting to meet this brother for a while."

"I'm in. Will the three of us be enough?" Gilbert asked her.

"It's a pretty large property according to Jerry, two stories, and a basement. I was hoping Paul would be willing to help, since he is already in Dartmouth." She said to him. "Jerry will help, he has no experience but can lift cases and film with a handheld, and maybe Cole and Roy, they are already at Matthew and Marilla's which isn't far from the property."

"Is Cole up to it?" Josie asked.

"I don't know. We can ask. If not the five of us will have to do." She answered.

"It's like it's out of a Victorian horror novel." Gilbert said as they turned into the driveway that led them to Jerry's new property. It was a two story building that had a tower on one end, half the build was made of grey stones, the other half had once been covered in white paint that was now missing in large patches, some of the windows had been boarded up. There were no houses anywhere in the area, and the large iron gate was open, inviting them in up the driveway, the words "St Alban's Orphanage" spelled out in letters in the arch that stretched over the driveway. Tall skinny trees adorned the grounds around the house, a dusty blue van parked out front, a man sitting on the front stairs looking at his phone. She jumped out of Gilbert's car as soon as he stopped. 

"Jerry!" She leapt into his arms and hugged him with the same enthusiasm she always greeted Cole. Paul pulled in behind them and they all got out and met Anne's brother.

"The plan was to knock down some walls and make them into multi units, with a living space, two or three bedrooms, and a washroom for each unit. Everyone would still dine together communially, and there would be activities, we wouldn't leave them alone of course, there would be social workers, counsellors and some medical staff on hand. But it would give the kids a feeling of normalcy, a feeling of family." Jerry explained. "Especially for those in larger families, sometimes two or three siblings might be lucky to stay together but more than that is impossible."

"It sounds wonderful Jerry." Josie said, no hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"It does." Anne agreed. She was so proud of him for doing this, she thought that if they could get this interview on their Youtube page, there would be offers of donations to Jerry and his home. 

"So tell us what you have experienced inside." Gilbert said, his camera filming Jerry. 

"I guess it was always there, but I didn't notice, or I explained it away. At first I felt like I was being watched, nothing felt ominous though. Then I started to find my tools all over the place, rooms I know I didn't go into. Honestly I thought maybe there was a gas leak or something, making me forget things. But when I had the gas company out here to check on it...there is no gas hook up here at all. The furnace is run on oil and there are some baseboard heaters that run on electricity...no gas at all, and no carbon monoxide leaks. Then I thought it was black mould. There isn't any. I would see flickers in the corners of my eyes, like a dog or a small child running just out of view. And then it touched me."

"What happened?" Anne asked, she knew despite ten years of knowing Cole, Jerry never believed in Cole's powers or the supernatural. He just explained Cole's powers as him being extremely intuitive, reading body language and wasn't even aware he was making up what he believed he saw. If Jerry was suddenly open to the paranormal...he must be freaking out.

"I was taking pictures in one of the rooms on the second floor, something brushed against my neck, I jumped, I admit it, I thought maybe a bug. Nothing was there. I resumed taking the photos and something pinched me, on the arm. Not hard, it didn't even leave a mark but it reminded me of someone trying to get my attention. After that it was like a door was opened, I hear people talking in rooms, when I go in there is no one and the talking stops, I have seen a shadow at the end of the hall, at the stairs that lead to the attic. Sometimes I hear children running and laughing."

"And it hasn't felt hostile?" Paul asked.

"Never. And it still doesn't, but...something happened yesterday, last night." Anne knew what had happened, she hadn't told the others yet. She turned her camera off Jerry and pointed it toward the others, wanted to record their reactions.

"I was finishing up for the day, I've started doing some smaller jobs that I can do and will save some money, so I've been scraping off the old paint and wallpaper, in the rooms on the main floor, the dining hall, the foyer, some offices." Anne could tell he didn't like to think about this part. "I was sweeping up the paint chips when I heard someone say my name, it was a whisper but so clear and so close. When I looked up there was a...fantôme" He lapsed back into French. 

"What did you see?" Asked Gilbert.

"A child, maybe 12 or 13, wearing an old fashion dress, hair in a braid at the back, she looked so sad. She said my name again. I was terrified, I could see through her, but she was there in front of me. She looked so sad, her face was so white, her eyes huge and so filled with sadness."

"You saw a full body apparition?" Josie asked. "Tell me there were cameras on somewhere."

Jerry shook his head, "Sorry, I haven't had the security system installed yet."

"Can we take a look at any of the photos you have taken here?" Gilbert asked. 

"They are all on my phone, I will send them to Anne."

"This place is large, it may take more than one night." Gilbert said to Anne.

"Marilla says we can all stay with them until it's finished or until you need to go home." Anne told them all. 

"I guess I'm meeting the family." He said winking at her.

"Alright let's unload the gear and then Paul and Josie can start sorting things out, Jerry you are taking me and Gilbert on a tour." Anne said, taking another look at the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canadian Content  
> Canadian Tire - A hardware store, but also sells home furnishings, supplies and things like that.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Gilbert investigate Jerry's orphanage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late, I have been distracted by my Red Jacket series. Thanks to all of you for your support!!!
> 
> ** Indicates the scary parts. Not that I think this chapter is very scary.

"Okay, I just talked to Cole, he is willing to come feel the place but he says he isn't going to talk to any spirits." Anne told them. "He is still really sensitive about it all so let's allow him to give us information. Try not to push him by asking him any questions." They all nodded their understanding. 

"When will he get here?" Gilbert asked her.

"He said he was going to come around 11, with some food for us."

"Do you think he will be okay?"

"I really hope so."

"One last thing before we begin, I don't think Anne and I should be alone during the investigation, at least inside the house." Gilbert said, they had finished setting up the cameras, REM Pods, EVP recorders and checked the batteries in all the gear they carried.

"What?" Anne asked.

"We kept Tillie and Paul apart so they wouldn't distract each other, I think we should do the same, to maintain professionalism, and so I don't get distracted by you and miss a FBA."

"What's an FBA?" Jerry asked. "Are you dating this guy Anne?"

"Full bodied apparition." Everyone answered at the same time, except Gilbert who said "Yes, she's dating me."

"You're right, I'll go up to the second floor, by the attic stairs, Jerry has seen a shadow figure there, and it did feel different up there, while we were setting up." Anne said. 

"Okay, I'll take the room Jerry saw the FBA, who wants to come with me?"

"I will." Josie said before Paul could. "We should take Jerry because it called his name once before, it may again."

"Sounds good, Paul you're with me, feel like working the Xcam?" Anne asked him.

"I have been dying too." He said eagerly. 

Gilbert, Josie and Jerry made their way to one of the offices that was off the hallway that joined the kitchen and dining room. The room was empty, save for the camera on a tripod in the corner.

"So Jerry, go where you were last night when you saw the FBA." Gilbert instructed. He walked over to the wall by the window and looked at Gilbert. "Okay what time was it exactly?"

"Probably around 7, I was getting hungry so I was going to go home."

"Sunset is around 4:30pm this time of year, so it couldn't be the light from the sun creating an illusion." Gilbert thought out loud.

"There are no streetlights and the house is far enough from the road that a passing car couldn't have caused it." Josie said.

"And the main light was on in here? What about the hallway?" Gilbert asked Jerry. 

"Yes the light in here was on, I think the lights in the hallway where on." He answered. Gilbert turned on the light in the hallway and the light in the room they were in, he and Josie filmed it from various angles, trying to be sure what Jerry had seen, wasn't a trick of the light. They even tried with the hallway light off, they couldn't recreate it. 

"Time for some EVPs." Gilbert said.

**Up on the second floor, Anne and Paul were filming in the dark. "Is anyone here?" Anne asked. "We are friends of Jerry's, do you like that Jerry is here?"

"I'm getting something." Paul whispered, looking down at the Xcam. "Yeah a figure just appeared, where Jerry said he saw the shadow person. It's complete still but it's there."

"We can see you on our camera. If you want to talk to us, say something, we want to talk to you. Or make a noise." Anne said. "Temperature is dropping by a few degrees." She said to Paul. 

"Did you hear that?" Paul asked her. "It sounded like footsteps. In that room" He pointed to the room just off to their left.

"Is it moving?" She asked about the image on the Xcam.

"No still stationary. 

"We know someone can communicate, they said Jerry's name. Are you the little girl that Jerry saw?" Nothing.

"It's gone." He said, looking at the Xcam.

"If there is someone here, say something to us. Tell us your name. Make a noise."

There was no noise or movement for about two minutes. Anne was about to tell Paul that they should go up into the attic when she felt a sudden chill, and the feeling that someone was right behind her. She jumped when she heard the word "Boo" whispered right into her ear, then the door to the room that Paul had heard the footsteps in slammed shut so hard that Anne's hair moved in the breeze. As they both turned to look at the door, the hallway was filled with children's laughter.

"Let's go into the kitchen and do some more EVPS." Gilbert said to Josie and Jerry when they heard a loud thud from upstairs. Josie grabbed her walkie and spoke into it.

"You guys okay?"

"We are, just a door slamming." Anne answered back. "We're heading up to the attic."

"Got it."

They moved into the kitchen, it was empty too, except for the old stove and sink that came with the house. "Maybe Jerry should ask the questions this time." Josie suggested.

"I don't know how to do this." Jerry gestured to the cameras.

"Just ask it questions you want answers to." Gilbert advised him. 

Jerry nodded his understanding. "Is anyone here with us? What is your name? Mine is Jerry." Gilbert walked around Jerry in a circle, filming him and watching his thermal camera too. "You showed yourself to me yesterday. Can you do it again?"

They thought they heard some noises, something moving, but they couldn't rule out a mouse or the building settling, and the noises didn't seem to be in response to Jerry's questions.

Gilbert, Jerry and Josie had switched with the other two, they were up on the second floor, in the same spot where the door had slammed and something had whispered 'boo' to Anne. It had been heard by Paul and picked up on the recorder, along with the laughing that followed the slamming door.

"Try asking again Jerry."

"Hello, yesterday someone said my name and I saw someone downstairs. And just now you played a prank on my friends, can you do that again? Can you make the door shut, or say my name again?" 

"You can make the light go off on this device, if that is easier." Josie said, pointing at the REM Pod that she had brought upstairs. 

"Did you live here, in the orphanage?" Jerry asked. The REM Pod light up for a second. "Was that you?" Again it went off. "Is there more than one of you here?" Again the device lit up.

"I don't know what else to ask. Most of my questions need more detail than a simple yes or no." Jerry told them, Gilbert could see that his hands were shaking while he held the camera. 

"Do you want Jerry to continue to work in this place?" Josie asked. "Jerry plans to bring other children to live here, would that make you happy?" She cocked her head to the side. Did you guys hear that? I heard voices in that room." She pointed to a room behind her.

"I didn't hear it." Gilbert said and Jerry shook his head to indicate he hadn't heard either.

"Did you like living here?" Josie asked another question. 

They asked a few more questions and used the Spirit Box, a device that rapidly scanned radio frequencies and transmitted them, the spirits could use this device to speak. Nothing came through for them though.** 

They were outside, in the van, listening to their EVP sessions, Paul had noticed that when Anne and he experienced the ghostly voice and the door slamming, Josie and Gilbert's devices had also picked up the noise of the slam, on Josie's recorder one more thing had been recorded, although none of them heard it at the time of recording. A small quiet voice that said one word. "Jerry". 

Nothing had been captured during the other sessions and were going to pack up for the night, they would do a walk through with Cole, if he wanted to go inside, and eat the food Cole brought and head back to Anne and Jerry's parent's home. They were leaving cameras and recording devices in hopes they would capture something while the house was empty, they would take their hand held devices when going in with Cole. 

They were just sitting around waiting, Cole was on his way but running late because "some jackass is taking so long to order in the drive thru", Gilbert grabbed Anne's hand and led her away from the van and the house, wandering the sprawling grounds that surrounded the house, dotted with trees. 

"I'm going to miss you tonight." He said to her. She had already informed him that there was no way Marilla would allow them to share a room, let alone a bed.

"Me too."

"I'm glad we came here, and I would never hesitate to help you or someone you care about, but I thought we would have another few nights alone." He told her, stopping to turn to her so he could stroke her cheek.

"I know. So did I. I could sneak into your room tonight." She said.

"And get caught by your dad or mom. No I want them to like me. I'll survive...probably." He told her, pouting a little. She laughed and threw her arms around his neck, stretching up to kiss him. 

"If Jerry wasn't right over there, I would do so many bad things to you." She said against his lips.

"Oh really...can I have a detailed itemized list with diagrams?" He asked.

"You have the best dirty talk." She teased. They both noticed a car turning into the driveway and they headed back to greet Cole, Gilbert keeping his arm around her shoulders as they walked. 

Roy and Cole were getting out of the car, with bags from A&W, Paul and Jerry were already in the bags passing out the food. Gilbert took his food and ate some fries while he watched Anne hug Cole, talking to him softly before she moved to hug Roy. Cole looked happier and more confident than he had the last time Gilbert had seen him, a couple of weeks ago at one of the Sunday dinners the girls had been hosting. Cole came over to him, holding out his drink, a rootbeer of course.

"Hey Cole, glad you felt up to coming out."

"I don't know what good I'll be. I can already hear them."

"Them?"

Cole nodded his head and looked at the house, smiling. "There are three of them...no four. Oh shit...this is an intelligent haunting." Cole realized. 

"What does that mean?" Jerry asked, overhearing them. 

"Basically there are hauntings that are just residual energy that repeat the action of the life they lived. They aren't aware of what they are doing, or that they are even dead. An intelligent one knows it's dead and is interacting with the people they encounter." Gilbert explained.

"They are aware of Jerry, they like him."

"Are you talking to them?" Jerry asked.

"No, but I can hear them, and I can see things. They like to play with your tools, not just to trick you, sometimes they just like to play."

"I don't mind sharing if they could put them back." Jerry said with a laugh.

"I'm not getting anything ominous or dark. They don't know how to crossover and the Sister won't leave until they do. She watches over them." 

"They're siblings?" Anne asked.

"No." Cole shook his head. "They didn't even die at the same decade. The Sister is a nun, she died here too. She was one of the kind ones."

"Should we burn sage and tell them to cross over?" Josie asked.

"We should, but not just yet." He let them finish eating and they all went inside, even Roy, who was on his first haunt. 

"There was a lot of sorrow here, so many sad and lonely children. Not all of their minders were kind like the Sister." Cole said, he immediately walked to the room where Jerry had seen the FBA. "Emma is the one you saw Jerry."

Kate and Felix were the other two, Felix is the one who whispered Boo to Anne and slammed the door. Emma was the one who was trying to talk to them on the REM Pod, and the Sister is the shadow figure at the attic stairs. Kate is shy. "The nuns that opened this place were not cruel, they weren't always warm or loving but they never mistreated the children. When the church washed its hands of this place, there was just a string of people who didn't care. They turned a blind eye to bullying, abuse and assault, they stifled creativity and broke spirits."

The Sister is most insistent I listen to her." Cole winced, rubbing his head.

"Do you need to take a break?" Roy asked.

"No. I've been trying to ignore them, and just get everything from the energy of the house, but she is really loud."

"What if you just listen to them, we don't have to believe what they say." Roy suggested.

"She wants to pass over. She wants to bring the kids over. She's asking me to help them."

"It's a good reason to get loud." Anne said. 

"We can help them?" Jerry asked.

"Yes very much so." Cole said.

"I'll go get the sage." Anne offered, giving Gilbert a look that told him to come with her.

"I'll help." He offered, he could hear Josie complaining about her best chance to see a FBA and they were going to help it cross over.

"So if we are finished up here tonight...we have all day and night free tomorrow." She told him.

"What's the plan then?"

"I'm taking you sightseeing. And by sightseeing I mean we are booking a hotel for the day."

"Hotel sex? I have always wanted to." He admitted, his eyebrows raising up.

"Me too! I'm think the hotel in Turo has suites with a hot tub..."

"Yes please!" He answered far too eagerly.

She whipped out her phone and began searching up the hotel while he got the bundles of sage out. "All booked, I even got us an early check in."

"God I love y..your ideas." He hoped he covered it up smoothly. Her face didn't change, she was still smiling up at him. 

"We'd better get back to them."

"You could keep them, they aren't hostile. It'll be fun." Josie was saying, trying to get them to keep the spirits, she really wanted to see that FBA.

"It's not a stray cat Josie. Keeping them trapped here when we could help is cruel." Paul said to her. 

"Who know when the next time they can be helped will be." Anne added.

"I also think it may be too scary for some kids that are already experiencing a traumatic moment." Jerry said to her. "If it wasn't for the children coming, I would like the company."

"Fine." Josie grumbled, taking a bundle of sage from Anne.

Cole spoke the words calmly, "I don't know who you will find when you cross over, but you will still have each other and it will be filled with safety, joy and love. Look for the light and move toward it, do not be scared." He told them. The others burnt the sage and smudged the rooms. "They have moved on." Cole told them.

Since they weren't coming back, they took down the cameras and recorders they had planned to leave overnight. It was past 1am when Jerry locked up the door to his orphanage and they all said goodbye. Jerry going to his apartment, Cole and Roy would meet them at home, Paul was going back to his own family's home and hugged them all and wished them a Merry Christmas, Josie got in the van with Anne and Gilbert.

"Cole says Marilla already got the rooms ready. Don't plan on getting much rest, Green Gables is a working farm and Matthew and Marilla will be up before sunrise." Anne warned them.

"Anne you know I get grumpy when I wake up early." Josie complained. 

"I know but I have a plan."

"What plan?"

"The one where we have hotel rooms tomorrow at 11am and you can spend the day sleeping and relaxing."

"I'm not next to you guys am I?" Josie asked."You guys are so loud sometimes."

"I'll ask them to put you on a different floor." Anne said meekly, her cheeks burning.

"Perfect." Josie smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what you say to a spirit/ghost to pass over. I just thought it sounded nice.
> 
> Canadian Content
> 
> A&W restaurants - Burger place across Canada, it's got decent burgers, great chicken tendies and THE BEST root beer ever!! Yeah you can buy cans and bottles at the grocery store, but nothing beats A&W root beer from the drink dispenser. And I don't even drink pop, and I like it.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gilbert meets the Cuthberts and hotel sex!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably only a few more chapters of this one, if everything goes according to what I have in my head. LOL
> 
> Thanks for leaving kudos and comments and supporting me!!

Gilbert woke up to the smell of coffee and bacon, and laughter downstairs. He got out of bed and got dressed, brushed his teeth and washed his face, and then made his way downstairs. They had gotten in really late, and had crept in quietly, Anne had shown him to his room with a quick kiss and a goodnight, so he didn't really know the layout of the house, but he followed the noise to a sunny kitchen.

Cole was reaching into a cupboard and taking out some plates, Roy was chopping up some cantaloupe, an older woman in her sixties was at the stove, flipping some bacon, he figured that must be Anne's mother, Josie was pouring some orange juice at the table.

"Oh...good morning." The woman said. "You must be Gilbert, I hope you slept well. Please tell me we weren't too loud."

"Not at all. I slept wonderfully, you must be Marilla, thank you for allowing me to stay here." He offered his hand. She took it and smiled at him, she had beautiful, lively eyes that hinted at a mischief.

"Fiddlesticks. Matthew and I get lonely with the house so empty...you want to see ghosts? Come look at the two of us haunting this place some days." She chuckled, and Gilbert couldn't help but smile with her. "Now how do you take your eggs?" 

"I'll just have them like everyone else is." He didn't want her to make a fuss over him. She just looked at him over the tops of her glasses. 

"Just tell her how you like them, she always makes them to order." Roy advised him.

"Don't make me ask again." She teased.

"Fried is fine." He tried to think of the easiest eggs to make.

"Sunny side up?" At his nod she asked. "Hard or runny yolk?"

"Runny, please." He felt awkward, his first meeting and he was putting in a food order like she was the help. Anne came in the house at that moment, her hair stuffed under a toque...was that his toque? She was carrying a basket of eggs. 

"You're up? How did you sleep?" She asked, smiling brightly at him.

"Great. You?"

"I always sleep like the dead here. Oh by the way Marilla, we don't need to go back to Jerry's orphanage tonight, so I'm going to take Gilbert and Josie sightseeing for a bit and then they are going to go back to the island." Told her, taking the eggs to the sink and washing them off.

"Oh well it's good you are finished your investigation. I'm sorry we won't to get to know you better Josie and Gilbert." Marilla said.

"You'll see a lot of more of Gilbert, Marilla." Cole spoke up.

"Is that a prediction?" Marilla asked.

"Yeah, one that anyone could make. He's her boyfriend." 

Marilla dropped the spatula she was holding into the frying pan and turned to Anne who was standing at the sink, still washing the eggs, a red blush tinging her face, Gilbert thought she looked beautiful.

"Boyfriend? Anne is this true?" Marilla asked.

"Yes. It is true." Anne said, not looking up. Gilbert wondered why she was so embarrassed, was it because of him? 

"You've never brought one home before." Marilla said and Anne's head shot up and glared at her.

"Thanks for telling him that."

"Well Gilbert this won't do. I hope you will be able to come back for a visit next week. I'll cook dinner and you can spend the night, in the guest room, and Matthew and I can get to know you better." She was smiling, she didn't look angry or hostile and Anne was looking relieved, perhaps it was Marilla's reaction that had caused her embarrassment.

"I would really like that Marilla." Gilbert agreed.

Matthew came in and was introduced to Gilbert and Josie, he was quiet, but Gilbert noticed Matthew was watching everything, observing all. Many questions were asked by Marilla, not just to Gilbert, she also asked Josie lots of questions, some which Gilbert noted seemed to be really about Anne and how things were going in the shared house. After breakfast he and Josie insisted on helping to clean up the table and dishes, Marilla let him dry, and used those moments to talk to him some more.

When they were ready to leave and saying their goodbyes, Marilla gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "I don't believe the a convenient place to stay excuse at all. I hope we become good friends Gilbert."

"As do I Marilla."

Matthew shook his hand and smiled. "Nice to meet you, son." Gilbert couldn't help but feel like floating, he had met all of her family and they all seemed to approve, his family liked her, Delphine regularly asked to talk to Anne when he Facetimed with her, and asked when he was bringing Anne to their house to visit.

Josie agreed to drive Gilbert's car to the hotel, since Anne would need hers to return to the farm where her family lived, and Gilbert wanted to drive with Anne. Check in was fast and painless, Josie was on the third floor and Anne and Gilbert were on the fifth floor. 

"You guys want to meet for dinner, or are you going to boink all day?" Josie asked on the way to the elevator. They made plans to meet in the lobby at 6 for dinner. Josie got off at her floor and they continued up. 

"I haven't ever stayed in a hotel room with a boy who wasn't Cole." She admitted as she put the key card into the door.

"I've only shared a room with Bash or Moody...omg one bed." He was very excited. It was a king sized bed, the hot tub was in the corner by the window, it looked out over the river, no other tall buildings, not that there were many of them in Turo, were in that area so if they used the hot tub, no one would be able to see them. Flashes of a naked, wet Anne, riding him, with the curtains open, and the river in the background, had his dick stirring to life immediately. 

"So..." She said, smiling at him. 

"So..." He replied grinning. "I haven't showered since yesterday morning so...that's what I am going to do first."

"Sounds like a plan. I'm going to run over to that store across the street and get us some snacks and some drinks." She told him. 

"Okay, see you in a bit." He gave her a kiss and then grabbed his toiletry bag, heading to the washroom.

"Don't shave...okay?" She said before he got there.

"Okay?" He agreed, raising his eyebrow in question.

"I like how you look with that bit of shadow...I like how it feels...on my skin." She admitted and he grinned.

"Am I going to have to grow a full beard? I don't know if I actually can."

"No...just leave the scruff sometimes. Enjoy your shower."

He saw the shower was a huge walk in, that took up half the bathroom and had room for about ten people to shower at one time. How much had this room cost? He was going to etransfer her some money.

He was rinsing out his hair when he felt a cold draft and opened his eyes, she was standing in the shower with him. "I decided to forget the snacks...we can live large and use the mini bar or vending machine by the elevator."

"I'm good with that." He pulled her against his body and kissed her slowly, letting the water wash over them both. She was already reaching for his cock, slowly pumping it in her hand, before she gently pulled on it, leading him literally by his dick to the built in ledge that was a step away, that she sat on, putting her face nearly at a level with his cock. She licked her lips and looked up at him, maintaining eye contact as she licked the underside, the sight of hid cock, sitting on top of her tongue, her large blue eyes looking up on him, had his dick actually swelling up harder. She smiled, noticing him getting thicker and fuller and then sucked the head into her mouth.

She loved looking at him when she sucked his dick. His face was just lit up with animation, his brows jumped all over his forehead, his eyes would close, cross, get large, and when he clenched his jaw...it was like there was a direct current to her clit. She swirled her tongue around the tip, spreading her spit and his precum all around, getting it wet before she started to bring him in deeper into her mouth. "Fuck..." He whispered, bring a hand up to stroke her face, before sinking into her hair and pulling on it slightly, his hips thrusting gently toward her, not too hard or too deep so that she gagged or choked, but enough to get a little deeper, enough that in duet with the hand in her hair, he could shove her down on his cock and hold her there, but she had the security to know he wouldn't. 

One hand was wrapped around the base of his cock and was stroking in time with her mouth moving up and down, the other held his balls and squeezed them, knowing he liked when she did that. His body started to twitch, and he began to make the breathy gasps and moans that she had come to know meant that he was about to cum, normally she pulled away and let him cum on her tits or stomach but being in the shower, with the water still running over him, gave her another idea. She pulled her mouth off him, positioned him back under the shower so that the water was running down over his shoulders, back and chest....down to where she got on her knees and put her mouth back on his dick and began to suck, water running down his dick, but her tight lips on his cock kept the water out of her mouth.

"I'm going to cum." He warned her and she looked up at him, water splashing in her eyes but held that fucking gaze, when he realized she wasn't going to stop and she was going to let him cum in her mouth he exploded. Even prepared for it she wasn't prepared for it. The hot salty liquid hit that back of her throat and she gagged a little but held it in, she swallowed some and then let some of the shower water enter her mouth and wash the rest away. He hauled her to her feet and kissed her soundly. "You didn't have to to that." He told her.

"I know. I wanted to." She told him, smiling as his hand snaked between her legs and his fingers dipped into her folds. 

"Have you done that before?" He asked her, teasing her clit.

"Just once. He didn't warn me and I had to run to the bathroom to throw up." She admitted.

"I'll always warn you."

"I know that too...ohhh" She moaned when his finger slid inside of her and began pumping in and out. "More." She told him and he dutifully put another finger inside of her, she moved her hips in time with his hand and clung to his shoulders, kissing his mouth, neck, face, shoulder...anyplace her mouth seemed to land.

"Any neighbours we have here will never see us. Be as loud as you want." He told her when she was biting her lip to stay quiet. So she did, it wasn't screaming like in porn but it was definitely more enthusiastic than she allowed herself to be at home. "I am going to spread you out on that king sized bed and eat your pussy until you soak the sheets." He said against her ear as she came on his hand, nails digging into his skin. He held her while she came down and then they quickly finished showering and put on the robes provided by the hotel before tumbling into the bed. 

He didn't even take her robe off, he pulled it open, settled between her legs and started to lick her, his fingers three of them this time, back inside of her where she bucked and moaned, clawing at his hair. She kept telling him harder, she didn't know what was coming over her but she needed more, at times it seemed like he was thrusting his fingers into her so roughly it should hurt but it felt amazing. He had stopped eating her out to focus on fingering her and everytime he thrust inward, his hand would hit her clit, and she would still beg "Harder" with a breathless pant, opening her legs wider than she thought possible. She felt it coming, different than usual, it built up fast, and instead of flaring out through her body, it made everything contract, her stomach, shoulders all hunching in as if she were bearing down as she made a guttural noise she would have been embarrassed by if she didn't feel so fucking good. He slowed down his pace, moving his mouth back to her pussy to lick up every drop he could get, even sucking her essence off his fingers. "Holy fuck." She panted.

"You are fucking magnificent." He told her.

"Me? You did that." She told him, laying in the same position, her legs wide open. 

"No woman has ever responded like that. It was so hot." He grabbed his bag by the bed and got out a condom, helped her roll on to her stomach and slipped himself inside of her. Normally she would have been up on her knees, pushing back against him, or rubbing her own clit, but since he had left her without the ability to move her legs, she just laid there while he fucked her, kissing her back and neck, their hands joined, up by each side of her head. She felt the soft tinglings of an orgasm that was just out of reach, she didn't need another one so soon, but wanted to make it good for him, so she hauled herself onto shaky knees and changed the angle for him and fucked back against him, loving the way he growled in response, his fingers digging into her hips as he came. By the time they were sated and breathless, she had red marks from his beard on her inner thighs, along with the hickeys he had left all over. 

They did take a soak in the hot tub later, mostly just cuddling and looking out at the view, him leaning against her chest between her legs. They talked about things they never had before.

"The family carries a rare genetic disorder, many family members had it and died from it, they didn't have it but it was a bad enough disorder that neither of them wanted to have children. At the time there was no DNA testing, no way to test for it. But the worry that they would pass it on to their children was enough. They dated some people over the years but no one that they fell in love with I guess."

"It was just me and my dad for years. Then dad started to get tired, really tired and his cough wouldn't go away. He never smoked, never had a job that exposed him to dangerous chemicals, but he got lung cancer. I was a mess, I was angry, lashing out at the world. I had already lost my mother, and it was my fault. That's how I felt, she got a uterine infection after giving birth to me, a piece of placenta had detached and stayed inside, and now I was losing my father. Dad set me up with a counsellor, who suggested the Big Brother program. I thought it was going to be some creep that would try to diddle me. But I got Bash. I don't know where I would be without him. He was there for me in the very darkest moment in my life, helped me through it, refused to give up on me no matter how much I tried to push him away."

"My mother wasn't from here, Canada, she was from the US, Montana, how she got here, and why I don't know. At some point she met my father, he was from Halifax, I was born there too. When I was three, my parents took me on a ferry to the island, there was an accident, according to the death certificates Cole helped me get, my mother was driving and had a stroke, she died instantly. They crash into the ditch killed my father, he drowned, the car landed upside down and there was enough water that my dad who was unconscious or unable to lift his head, or move his hands drowned. I was too little, the water couldn't reach me, since they had safely harnessed me into my car seat. I stayed with my father's aunt, Aunt June, but she was already old and by the time I was seven she died. It was a series of foster homes and then a group home before I was placed with Matthew and Marilla."

"I just hope they would be proud of the man I have become. My dad was a man's man, you know. He took me hunting, camping, fishing, chop wood, but then he loved poetry, he would read Whitman every night. He taught me in our living room how to waltz, how to bake bread from scratch...I miss him so much still."

They got out of the hottub and got ready to meet Josie, "When we get back, let's do our presents." He said to her. She had almost forgotten that Christmas was less than a week away.

"Sounds good."

He held her hand all the way to the lobby where Josie was waiting for them.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Gilbert exchange Christmas presents and Gilbert visits the Cuthberts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never had real writer's block before, what a bitch it is. And I never second guess myself like I did on this chapter. I am less than thrilled with it, but I finally finished this chapter.

They walked down the street to a restaurant, it wasn't very busy and they were able to be seated and place their drink orders right away while they perused the menus. The server had only just left when Josie began talking.

"Guys, I had phone sex with Charlie. Well...not phone sex, we Facetimed," She told them. Gilbert who had been taking a sip of water started to choke. Anne patted his back and stayed focused on Josie.

"Oh my God! How was it? How did it happen? Did he suggest it?"

"We were just talking and he said that he really liked the top I was wearing, my pink tank top with the built in bra...you know that one?"

"Your boobs look great in that one."

"I know, and so I showed it off a bit and one thing led to another and I was flashing him and then he said..."

"Stop, for the love of God, please stop." Gilbert pleaded. "I can't know the details, it's bad enough I'm already picturing it Josie."

"What exactly are you picturing Gilbert?" Anne teased. "Josie in her tank top? Or the flashing?"

"Do you guys share all the details?" He changed the subject and Anne couldn't hold back a giggle. 

"Are you worried Anne told us where you like her to put her finger Kanye...I mean Gilbert?" Josie asked holding up a pinkie finger. Anne had never told them any such thing, but she didn't say anything and Gilbert went bright red and turned and looked at her.

"I don't...that's not true."

"Leave him alone Josie." Anne laughed, reaching under the table to squeeze his thigh. "I don't share details, just more of a general idea."

"Anne has definitely never told us you like it when she sits on your face and how your tongue does not stop." Josie continued. "Stop blushing, be proud of it. If I had a guy who could eat pussy for hours at a time, I'd probably brag about it too."

Gilbert looked mortified, but Anne did see a hint of a smug smile pulling at his lips.

"So...appetizers?" Anne asked changing the subject.

"Okay I told Marilla I had to go back to the island because I forgot Matthew's Christmas gift." Anne told him, they had been back in the room and she didn't want to leave him, Marilla was expecting her back. She didn't like to lie to her, but even at 22 she didn't think her mother would be happy with the knowledge that her daughter was in a hotel room with her boyfriend. 

"So I have you for the entire night?" He asked gleefully.

"You do." She replied, then squealing with laughter when he picked her up and spun her around before throwing her on the bed, jumping onto it beside her.

"That makes me very happy." he told her, pulling her to him, so her head rested on his shoulder, his hand coming up to play with her hair.

"Me too."

They laid that for a while, not much talking, mostly just enjoying the feel of the other one, knowing they wouldn't have another chance to do it until she returned to Charlottetown after Christmas. 

"So...you never brought a boyfriend home before?" He asked her.

"Nope."

"Any reason why? Were they ugly? Criminals? Ugly criminals?" He joked, she moved so that she was laying on her side, facing him, he did the same, one hand on her waist, stroking a small sliver of skin that was exposed.

"No, although one may have actually been dealing drugs but that was more of two week long hook up." She told him. "I just didn't see them the same way I do you."

"What do you mean?" He asked her and she felt her pulse begin to pick up, this was going to be a "talk". One where they began to discuss things they hadn't yet, feelings and thoughts for the future.

"I don't know, I just didn't see those relationships going anywhere, I liked them and we had fun while it lasted but I feel like you and I, this is different."

"I do too." He said. "This does feel different, I care about you." She already knew that, Gilbert was the kind of man that revealed his emotions in everything he did. He poured his affection for her into every cup of coffee he made for her, or even at that moment, the gentle stroke of his thumb over her skin seemed to say he cared.

"I care about you too. I think this could last, I won't say we're lifemates or soulmates or anything like that. I don't know what the future holds but I do like the future I can imagine, and you are in it." She had laid a hand on the side of his face, her thumb tracing the shape of his lips while she spoke, then she pressed a soft kiss to his mouth.

"I want you in my future too." He kissed her then and it didn't take long for the soft kiss to get heated, tongues dancing, breath mingling, he was slotted between her legs, his dick pressing up against her centre, grinding against her.

There was no rush, neither of them was in desperate need for release, it was about simply enjoying the touch, taste and feel of the other. Clothes came off little by little, his shirt, her pants, then his pants, her bra was the last thing to come off, even though he had pulled it down early on to kiss and suck at her breasts.

He lifted her legs up high onto his hips and positioned his dick at her entrance, sliding it up and down the length of her, getting her arousal all over his cock before he pressed in, just a bit, keeping his eyes locked on hers, then he let himself slowly sink all the way in. He loved the way her wet, hot, heat enveloped him, how she would squeeze her muscles there to make it even tighter for him, loved the way her nails dug into his back, and the way she sighed when he was fully seated inside of her, as though she couldn't be anymore contented than by him filling her. He moved slowly in and out of her, taking her other leg and lifting it up to his hip as well, the angle changed caused her to cry out but never looked away or closed her eyes. He kept the pace slow, he didn't want it to be over too quickly, when he felt himself approaching his own climax, he pulled out of her and buried his face between her legs, he repeated this so many times he lost count and by the time he finally released with what felt like a roar, it was past midnight and she was a quivering mass. 

He disposed of the condom and laid down beside her, catching his own breath, before wrapping his arms around her and laying his head between her breasts, her fingers in his hair.

"We should open our presents before we fall asleep, there won't be time in the morning." Anne reminded him. He nodded sleepily, the late night and early morning catching up to him. He went to his bag and pulled out her gifts and she did the same. 

He wasn't much of a present wrapper, so he got her a medium sized gift bag and filled it not only with the bracelet charm and gift card, but her favourite candies, and chocolate bars.

"I'm going to go into a diabetic coma." She teased at all the treats.

"You have five roommates that always steal your treats, you won't even get half of these." He laughed. She squealed at the gift card for Crumbles, declaring she was going to go there everyday since she had a class near there next semester. Then she opened the charm. It was a tiny silver ghost charm, the classic white sheet ghost with bright happy smile.

"It's so cute!" She exclaimed and immediately began attaching it to her bracelet. "Open yours." 

She handed him a red envelope. He figured she must have got him a gift card. Inside was a Christmas card, normally he would have read that first but what was in the envelope fell out and he couldn't help but look at it. It was a pair of tickets to a hockey game, the Toronto Maple at home vs The Boston Bruins, in March. He shook his head in confusion.

"It's technically that is more than $100, but I know how you always go on about seeing a Leafs game in person, and since we are going to be there..."

"Be where?" He asked, he didn't understand.

"Well if you read the card you would see." She teased. He started to read quickly. CTV news had continued to follow Anne and really liked the collaboration video they did with CHAPS, they invited everyone out to Toronto, all expenses paid, to be interviewed on their morning show and they would follow the two teams as they investigated a few well known places in Toronto. He wasn't sure he believed it. They wanted CHAPS on the news? He was getting a free trip to Toronto? And he was going to be on the news?

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I really wanted to surprise you. And it's over Spring break so unless you had plans to go to Florida and get drunk on a beach it should work out. And we don't have to do just news stuff, we can see the game, and the CN Tower and shopping, I know the girls will love that and..." She was rambling and he knew it was because she thought his silence meant he was mad or disappointed. 

"Anne, stop...this is wonderful. You didn't have to do this. Any of it, they wouldn't have even asked us if it weren't for you."

"That's true, but I wouldn't have done any of it, if it weren't for you. You inspired me."

"This is amazing! I can't believe it. I can never thank you enough. I really don't deserve you.

"That's probably also true." She teased and he grabbed her into his arms and tickled her.

"I haven't told the girls so don't say anything to Josie or the guys until I tell them okay?"

"I won't say a thing, they are all going to lose their minds." He looked at the tickets again and then up at her, who should I take to the Leafs game, Moody or Charlie?" He teased waving the tickets at her. 

"You aren't as cute and funny as you think." She joked back, grabbing for the tickets. They ended up wrestling and play fighting until they were out of breath and ready for sleep.

"Please do not embarrass me, Guys." Anne practically begged her brothers. Gilbert had texted to say he was about ten minutes away, coming back to Nova Scotia for dinner with her family. 

"Anne you do that enough on your own." Jerry teased.

"Remember that time she hiccuped during 'Oh Canada'?" Cole asked.

"How could I forget it? She was on stage singing into a microphone in front of the entire school."

"I didn't do that when you introduced me to Roy and Jerry, if you ever find someone willing to forgive your unfortunate looks and lack of intelligence, I would still be nice to you and not embarrass you in front of them." She knew she was whining, falling right back into teen years with her brothers at the table in their home, part of her wasn't even mad at them, but she was nervous. Would Gilbert like her family, would they like him? She knew Cole liked him, and Jerry did too but Matthew and Marilla were her parents, their opinions meant everything. She knew past boyfriends weren't up to muster, they wouldn't pass the Cuthbert's smell test. She never cared about that before because she knew they weren't the ones, they were fun for a while but they weren't her Mr. Darcy...Gilbert Blythe was beginning to feel like he was. 

"Stop pestering Anne." Marilla said from the counter where she was chopping some herbs for dinner. Anne stuck her tongue out at Jerry when Marilla wasn't looking and checked the time again, he would be here soon. 

When she heard his car in the driveway she flew out of her seat and ran to the door, jumping into his arms as soon as he got out of the car.  
"I missed you." She told him, her face in his neck.

"I missed you too."

"Anne, bring Gilbert in the house." Marilla said from the door. "Jerry, go get Gilbert's bag and put it in Anne's room." 

"My room?" Anne repeated.

"Matthew pointed out that that Cole and Roy are permitted to share a room when they are here and it would be a double standard for me to insist that you and Gilbert sleep in separate rooms." Anne could barely make her feet move she was so stunned that Marilla was allowing this. Gilbert pulled on her hand to get her moving toward the house again and she allowed him to lead her up the steps, where he greeted Marilla with his usual charm, saying something that made Marilla laugh and her eyes sparkle. As Anne followed Gilbert into the house Marilla touched her arm.

"I'm sorry I didn't trust in you or treat you the same as Cole." Anne felt her heart melting, she really did have the best family.

"Forgiveness granted. I love you so much Marilla."

"Good now don't make me regret this by getting pregnant." Marilla joked.

"Marilla!"

Anne shouldn't have been surprised by how easily Gilbert fit with her family. He was well read and could hold his own in most conversations, smart enough to ask questions when he didn't know the facts, and never tried to dominate it with his own opinions and thoughts. He was funny and self deprecating in a way that made Matthew chuckle silently from his easy chair in the corner and when Marilla found out he was pre-med, Anne swore she could see Marilla already imagining introducing him as "My son in law...the Doctor". 

Cole and Roy already liked Gilbert, hanging out socially together with Anne a few times and meeting up at the Sunday dinners the girls liked to host. Anne could tell Jerry definitely liked Gilbert but he was driving her crazy by constantly mentioning things that would make her mad but not so blatantly that Marilla would yell at him. Anne picked up her phone and sent him a quick text message.

Anne - If you mention Taco Bell one more time I will kill you.  
Jerry - Why? I like Taco Bell.  
Anne - I will tell the story about Marilla finding your dried up crunchy jizz sock.  
Anne - Do not test me!!!!  
Jerry - Shitting your pants on a first date isn't the worst thing that can happen.  
Anne - You're right, me telling the jizz sock story at your wedding would be.   
Jerry - I'll stop.  
Anne - Also...why keep using the same sock? Did you catch feelings for it?  
Jerry - You should have quit while you were ahead.

At that moment Jerry looked up from his phone and immediately launched into the story about the time Anne shit her pants because she ate Taco Bell just before a date.

"I was fifteen and thought I shouldn't eat too much in front of him..." She wailed, her face hot with embarrassment.

"Devin Conrad never asked for a second date." Jerry supplied to a Gilbert who was valiantly trying to hold in his laughter. 

"One time I was on a date with this girl, I put so much of that fake movie theatre butter on my popcorn it leaked through the bag and stained the crotch of my pants. When the lights came on I had a stain that looked like I had enjoyed the movie too much. I didn't get another date for a year." Gilbert shared his own mortifying story and in that moment, his face just as red as hers, she knew she loved him.

This wonderful man, embarrassed himself in front of the family he was trying to impress, to save her some shame. She felt her breath catch and her heart start to pound at the realization, she was deliriously happy, she was finally in love, and she was terrified, he had so much power over her heart. No one seemed to noticed her life changing comprehension, Roy instead was sharing an embarrassing story of his own.

"Thank you." She whispered only for Gilbert to hear, he said nothing, continued to look at Roy who was talking, but squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, in acknowledgement.

"As much as I missed you and would love nothing more than to taste you and sink into you...we are not fucking in this house, at least not with everyone here." He told her as she shut the bedroom door.

"Agreed, I don't want them to think we are doing anything but sleeping in here."

"But there is something we need to do." He pulled her to him and kissed her soundly, something they hadn't done in front of her family. 

They got ready for bed, cuddling and talking and kissing for a while, before both of them drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really not pleased with what I had her give him for Christmas but I could not think of something that wasn't too cheesy or cliche. Gilbert is really hard to shop for. LOL


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne and Gilbert getting to know each other better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I always say I get bored when my story goes on too long. I am going to try and finish this one soon.

New Year's Eve found him by Anne's side, of course, she and her roommates were hosting a NYE party, she had only returned two days before and though they spent both nights together, she was busy getting things ready for the party, shopping, decorating and cleaning. He had gotten drunk quite a bit over the Christmas break, a couple of times with Bash, and then with Moody and Charlie, so he didn't drink much at the party, sober when the countdown started. 

Anne was next to him, in a black dress that showed off her shoulders and neck, a simple silver chain around her neck that matched the charm bracelet on her wrist, her hair was down and curled slightly, he'd run those silken strands through his fingers every chance he got that night. He was holding a glass of champagne, the girls had passed them around with a couple of minutes until the New Year, his arm around her waist as she laughed at something Tillie said. 

"Ten...nine...eight." They all shouted and she looked at him, looked deeply into his eyes and he felt his stomach clench with a ferocious love.

"I don't want to start the new year without telling you I love you." She blurted out to him, looking at him with adoration and fear in her eyes.

"You love me?" He couldn't believe she said it. He felt his insides turn to warm gooey love.

"Five..four..."

"Yes."

"I love you too." He wasn't going to not say it back.

"Two..ONE!" Everyone was hugging and kissing to celebrate the start of a brand new year, new ideas, new adventures and experiences, new victories and new attitudes. They kissed to new love.

"I didn't want to say it yet, I was afraid to scare you off." He told her late that night, his head resting between her breasts, a hand tracing shapes on her hip bone.

"Is it too soon?" She asked, suddenly worried she was the one to scare him away. 

"I don't know, it seems so fast but right. I'm terrified, in the same way a rollercoaster makes you feel or getting hit by a really big wave in the ocean. Scary and exhilarating, out of control but okay with it. I've never felt this way." He told her.

"Me either. First loves...." She wondered if that meant they were doomed to fail.

"You said it last week in the hotel room, we don't need to label it, soulmates, true love...first love is accurate, but we don't need to make a big deal out of it if you don't want to."

"And if I wanted to?"

"Then I will go out in front of your house right now and shout to the world that I love Anne Shirley-Cuthbert and she loves me back." He looked up at her and the look in his eye was practically daring her to tell him to.

"It's nearly 4am, the neighbours would not appreciate that."

"Probably not." He laughed softly.

They lay in silence for and she thought he had drifted off to sleep, she felt her own eyes beginning to droop. "I love Gilbert Blythe." She said to herself.

"And he loves you back." He replied sleepily.

The next day after, everyone from CHAPS, that hadn't spent the night came over to help the women clean up after the party. Then they ordered Chinese food and Anne told them about Toronto. There was much screaming and shouting as the two groups asked questions, and celebrated. Discussions were had on what they would wear, what they would do while there, and how they were going to be famous afterward. 

"If Zak from Ghost Adventures follows us, I will die." Charlie declared.

Anne posted the video from Jerry's orphanage later that week and tagged Gilbert, Paul and CHAPS in it. Both groups had a huge influx of new followers on social media. People were already inquiring on where to donate money to Jerry's cause, Anne had included his reasons for buying the old building, it inspired people and they wanted to help Jerry.

"You already met them, and they liked you. Stop worrying." Gilbert told Anne as she looked in the mirror on the back of the passenger's sun visor, again.

"They met me for two minutes. This is a real meeting, you know how I ramble and how passionate I get. What if we disagree on something and I offend them?"

"We've been hanging out since October, Dating since November, I have been witness to your impassioned rants at the evening news, you'll get a long with them...unless you are a Flat Earther...you're not right."

"Gilbert." She rolled her eyes at him.

"You'll be fine, they are really kind people and I know you will get along with them. And it's dinner, we'll be there for a few hours hanging out and eating, I had to come down to breakfast and surprise our relationship on your family." He reminded her. "There it is." He pointed out the window.

She gasped in astonishment. Gilbert said he grew up on a farm with an orchard. She had smiled, imagining him feeding chickens, milking cows and picking apples. This was a huge farm, several empty fields, lying fallow for the winter, a large grey barn, and a few smaller ones, she assumed were equipment sheds. "It was in Dad's family since the late 1700s, smaller then, the two closest fields and the orchard out back, my dad's grandfather bought the farms on the either side of us, and expanded the orchard one way and the farm the other.   
Bash runs it, I'm glad he wanted to because as much as I love the farm and working on it occasionally, my heart isn't in it, not forever."

"How did you and Bash get to be so close? You told me before you aren't related by blood." She knew Gilbert's father had passed away when he was just fourteen, from cancer and that Bash had become his guardian, and finished raising Gilbert. 

"He's always been around, and I idolized him, he was everything I wanted to be when I was a kid. He was cool, strong, funny, tall, girls always liked him and I wanted to be just like him, but he was good too, kind and patient with a annoying kid following him around. He never told me to get lost, he took me fishing, taught me to sail, how to dig an irrigation ditch, how to tie a tie. He came here just before I was born, his dad Solomon, was my dad's best friend and he was the foreman here. Bash learned the ropes from them. Dad loved him like a son too, he stayed her when Solomon returned to Trinidad, the winters got too much for his arthritis, we both agreed that Dad should make Bash legally half owner of the farm, he not only earned it, he loves it, more than I ever could. And here we are."

They were there indeed, in front of a grey stone farm house with a beautiful porch, a small vegetable garden to one side, a tire swing hanging on a tree and a snow family out front. "That's me." Gilbert said pointing at the second tallest one.

"You aren't that tall." She teased, as she grabbed her purse and got out of the car. Delphine was in the window waving enthusiastically, Anne waved back and the little girl beamed. "I should have brought flowers or a plant." And second guessed her decision to bring a bottle of wine as a gift.

"Mary loves wine, and the one you brought is one of her favourites." He told her trying to calm her down. 

He led her up the stairs and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze before he opened the door up, Delphine there waiting for them, jumping up and down. 

"Look what I learned in gymnastics." She shouted gleefully just before she did a back walkover.

"That's amazing!" Gilbert told her, Anne nodded and smiled.

"So impressive, I always wanted to do gymnastics." Anne said.

"I can teach you." Delphine said. 

"Delphine, no gymnastics in the house." Mary said as she came down the hallway. "Anne so good to see you again." Anne put her hand out in greeting and Mary ignored it and pulled her in for a quick hug.

"Mary is a hugger." Gilbert explained, he was wearing a huge dopey grin that Anne found adorable, he got it every time he talked about his family.

"I sure am." She laughed grabbing Gilbert in for a tight hug. "How were the roads?"

Anne took off her boots and left them on the mat by the door. "Mama and me got these for you Anne, so when you visit your feet won't be cold." Delphine said grabbing a pair of dark blue slippers off the floor, the tags still attached.

"That was very considerate of you and your mother Delphine, thank you so much." Anne grinned, taking the tags off and then slipping her feet into them.

"I brought something for you too." Anne said looking into her purse.

"What is it?" The little girl began to hop up and down in place, clapping her hands.

"Something I loved as when I was your age." Anne said pulling out two books. One was more of a picture book, good for the girl's age range. The other was a chapter book, one that Delphine could read with her parents.

"I love to read." Dellie exclaimed.

"I know Gilbert told me. All I did was read. I hope you like these ones."

"I haven't read these ones yet. I'm going to read this one now." Delphine announced smiling at the book with the colourful pictures, then she ran up the stairs to her room, Anne assumed.

"I brought something for you too Mary." Anne pulled the bottle of wine out of her purse and held it out to Mary.

"Oh my favourite, that's going to go perfectly with dinner tonight...or maybe a glass right now." She laughed and Anne joined her.

"And then when the horse ran off, Gilbert tried to stand up, but lost his footing and actually tumbled down the hill, landing in the swampy water in the gully." Sebastian was laughing so hard that he had tears streaming down his face. "He stunk so bad, we had to hose him off in the yard and throw his clothes away."

"Yes, let's all laugh at a seven year old being not only physically injured by being thrown off a horse, but at the emotional trauma he suffers everytime you tell that story Bash." Gilbert said sarcastically. "I could tell stories too Bash, you have a few that I remember...Erin Campbell's party..."

"I haven't heard that one." Mary said looking between Bash and Gilbert with curiosity.

"Not in front of my offspring, Blythe." Bash begged his eyes wide with worry.

"What's offspring?" Delphine asked.

"You're right, what about that time you almost ran the car off the road because there was a spider on the steering wheel? Or That week we took driving the Cabot Trail? Remember you weren't always the cool, capable man you are now, and I witnessed so many of your antics." Gilbert warned teasingly.

Bash held up his hands and laughed "Alright I give up, no more embarrassing stories...at least for this visit." He winked at Anne and she smiled back. She liked Gilbert's family, she loved Bash for taking care of Gilbert, knowing all too well what could have happened to a kid with no parents or people to take care of them, it was clear that Mary loved him just as much as Bash did and Delphine and Gilbert were so close. She talked his ear off through the entire dinner, telling him about gymnastics, school, helping on the farm and her best friends and her favourite teacher, and he listened carefully and enthusiastically, asking questions and giving advice.

Gilbert mentioned that Anne's family also owned a farm, Bash began to bombard her with questions about what they grew, acerage, and livestock. When Mary began clearing the plates, Anne insisted on helping her and the two finished the rest of the wine while they cleaned and giggled, Gilbert went out to help Bash with the evening chores and Delphine went to finish her homework.

"You're good for him." Mary said to her.

"We're good for each other." Anne told her.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The teams hear from Ngwe'ji'jg, and they travel to Toronto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Toronto stuff was way easier to write, so hopefully that will make the next couple of chapters easier and quicker to produce. 
> 
> I have never been in the Royal York, so everything I am describing is from pictures and descriptions I have been reading.

It was early February when they heard from Ngwe'ji'jg, she told Anne that the church was cleared, the Malefic was destroyed, it wouldn't return to the church or anywhere else, ever, the souls that it had trapped to it were released and had all crossed over. 

"It was strong and it took many cleansing rituals, and we needed to bring in other shamans, mediums and even a few witches to get rid of it."

'How do we repay all of you?" Anne asked.

"Keep our names out of it, and if possible do not identify the church. We don't want people contacting us or causing problems for the community."

"I promise."

"Thank you and don't hesitate to contact me again if you run into anything you can't handle." Ngwe'ji'jg told her.

"I won't." Before she hung up she added. "Would you consider calling us or CHAPS if you come across anything interesting?"

"If I see anything that think is non-threatening, then I will consider it."

She told Gilbert that day as soon as she saw him. They were at his apartment, Charlie and Moody had plans with Josie and Ruby so they took advantage of an empty apartment. He answered the door and swept her into the apartment with a kiss.

"Hey, I just ordered some Thai food for us." He said.

"The church is cleared, The Malefic is gone." She announced, and he froze. "So..."

"So we can use the footage? Upload?"

"Ngwe'ji'jg has asked us not to reveal her or her colleagues, and not to identify the the location of the church."

"We can definitely do that." He agreed. "We need to call a meeting. Start editing, should we put it all in one video for each of us, or spread it out, build the anticipation?"

"It's your investigation." She reminded him.

"It was ours. I couldn't have done it without you and the others, and we were in over our heads."

"We all were, but you're right to start with a meeting. This is going to be huge."

He caught her eye across the room, she was leaning against one of the editing desks, her arms crossed, an amused expression on her face. The room between them was utter chaos, everyone yelling and shouting to get their ideas and opinions heard, even Cole was there, although he wasn't yelling or even talking.

"You can't have all the paranormal stuff, that isn't fair and that isn't what we agreed to."

"It was our investigation.

"You can't call dibs on an investigation."

"Well Gilbert is the keeper of the USB drive, so we already have it all."

"I will see your ass in court."

"There is plenty for us all to share."

"You're already famous...this is our shot."

"We have shared so many hauntings and investigations with you already, you have thousands of our followers now. We have never hesitated to share and be fair and the first chance you are supposed to give us some footage you are acting like a weasel."

"Alright that is enough." He bellowed. "Is it all out of your systems yet?" He asked looking at the group. "The concern here isn't if we are sharing, that has already been decided and is non-negotiable. We also have to be extremely careful to never reveal the church or it's location, nor Ngwe'ji'jg and the others privacy. So what we have to figure out is how we do it all."

After that, the discussions were more civilized, it was agreed that CHAPS and SSS would both post the same teaser clip, to get interest going. It would be on Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok, with them all sharing from their personal accounts as well, hoping to generate enough intrigue to make it go viral. Then CHAPS would post the first part of investigation to their accounts, tagging SSS in the video and posts. Part one would feature CHAPS first entering the church and the figure on the thermal camera next to Charlie, the interaction with Jonathan's ghost and the REM pod, the stick figure on the Xcam and Josie's asthma attack and the growl. SSS would post part two which would feature Cole entering the church, after the deadbolt is flipped by unseen hands, Jonathan pulling Anne's hair and Gilbert's pants, the second time it appeared on the Xcam and the cold spot and the growl and laughing. They would leave out the initial argument that upset little Jonathan.

Then at the same time they would both release Part three, which would show Gilbert playing ball with Jonathan, they would show Ngwe'ji'jg arriving but would blur her face and alter her voice, they would show her and Cole confronting the Malefic, they would keep all mention of the town, the uptick of deaths in September, names in the cemetery, the names Malefic, and Petna's'g out of all the videos. Anne suggested keeping out the deception that caused Cole's self doubt, but Cole insisted it stay in. "We need to let people know that evil spirits are deceitful and we can not trust them...that we can not become too arrogant." He told them all. 

Part three would be released the week before they went to Toronto and would only help to bring in viewers to their interview. All of them agreeing to not answer any questions until after the trip. 

The teaser would be the initial thermal image, followed by the snarling and growling and laughter they heard the next night. It was a 36 second clip but it set the atmosphere and would leave those curious, wanting more. 

Normally Paul and Tillie would edit the videos alone and the teams would watch afterward and give notes for additions or changes. This time nobody wanted to miss out, so it took a lot longer than is usually did, with constant discussions on where exactly to edit and when to put in background music, and graphics.

Moody - Dude, the teaser is trending on Canadian Twitter  
Gilbert - Seriously?   
Moody - YES!!! it's been retweeted over 40k times  
Gilbert - HOLY SHIT  
Charlie - Our YT has 5000 new subscribers.   
Moody - We are going to rich and famous.  
Moody - I can finally drop out of school.  
Gilbert - :o Do not do that!!

By the time part three was released, CHAPS had over 100k subscribers, Spirits, Shadows and Spectres, had close to 250k, their endorsement deal with the deodorant company had finalized and the women would be featured in their online ads, and would have to use their name in their videos and social media posts. With the money from the sponsorship and money generated from their videos, Anne was able to pay off the remainder of her university fees, pay for a renovation at the Cuthbert farm and buy Jerry a new(used but new to Jerry) van for his foster home. It took a lot of pressure off Anne when it came to money, but added a new kind of pressure, they were going to have to keep producing content that people would watch, and the activity they had captured at the church was rare...nearly unheard of. She wasn't sure how they would continue to generate money. CHAPS' videos were finally generating money for the men, it wasn't a lot split between them but it was something and they too were hoping to turn the newfound attention into something more. 

The flight to Toronto was short and uneventful, but they all looked out the window and gasped at the huge city below them. 

A limo was waiting to pick them up at the airport in Toronto, complete with an assistant from CTV holding a sign that said "SSS/CHAPS". Anne confidently strode over to her. "That's us, I'm Anne."

"Julie, welcome to Toronto. If you are all ready, we can find the car, get you all set up in the hotel and go over the schedule."

They were all excited to be in the limousine and didn't even try to act unaffected, Tillie pressed the every button she saw and Moody and Jane didn't hesitate to open the complimentary bottle of champagne, even though it wasn't even noon yet.

"So you are staying at The Royal York, they have agreed to let you film in there, and you will get exclusive access to a few places guests normally do not. We'll take you to a a couple of other locations in the city this weekend and on Monday evening. Tuesday will be editing and you all have a free day, then Wednesday we will bring you to the studio for the live interview." Anne knew the schedule already, but she was glad to have the confirmation that it had stayed the same. Tuesday night was the night was the Leafs game, and the Royal York was close enough they could walk there and back.

"The hotel is haunted?" Josie asked.

"There have been hundreds of reports over the years, we are hoping you all will help us prove it." Julie told them.

"Will we have a CTV camera crew with us?" Paul asked.

"Just me and a camera person, and perhaps another assistant. We will still need you all to record and we will need access to that footage to put a package together."

"What if we don't get anything? We have plenty of investigations that turn up nothing." Gilbert asked her.

Julie shrugged. "Then you get nothing, we will talk about the videos you guys have already made, the stuff with the church, and your methods of investigation."

They all chatted for the remainder of the trip, watching the city zip by as they took the highway. A few of them had been to Toronto before, but they were still all overwhelmed by how big it was, how many cars were on the highway. When they entered the downtown core and encountered the traffic congestion, the girls were pointing out shops to each other to visit later. Tillie wondered out loud how far Niagara Falls was to Toronto and Julie offered to hire them a car for a trip there on Tuesday, which they all eagerly accepted. 

"You will have plenty of time to make your hockey game." She assured Anne and Gilbert, who had told her about the game.

"Here we are." Julie said as they pulled up to a building where a doorman was waiting to open the door of the car for them. He greeted Julie and everyone else as they exited the car, Anne tipped her head back and looked at the tall building they were staying in, she didn't know architectural terms but it looked old to her. Upon actually entering the building she felt her mouth drop open at how fancy it was. It was clearly a luxury hotel and she wasn't sure her and her group of rowdy ghost hunters belonged in the building. Marble floors, marble pillars, one of those circular velvet sofas and curtains, fresh flowers everywhere.

She could hear the others muttering "oh my God" and "look at that" every few seconds, when she looked up at the ceiling she let out her own "oh my God". There were carved ceilings, crystal chandeliers and gold details.

"Alright, some of you will be on the eighth floor and others will be staying on the thirteenth floor. Dinner and drinks in the hotel restaurant is on us, as is breakfast in the morning, so enjoy your stay. I'll be back her tomorrow at noon, if you have any problems or questions don't hesitate to call me." Julie handed them their key cards. Charlie and Josie were sharing a room, they were on eight, as were Moody and Ruby, the rest were on thirteen with Tillie and Paul sharing, Diana and Jane sharing a room and Gilbert and Anne together. They all got into an elevator, followed by two bellhops with their luggage on rolling carts, Anne couldn't wait to explore the hotel, it was beautiful, even the elevator with its interesting flooring, herringbone paneled walls and crown moldings, was nicer than Anne was used to. 

The elevator waiting area where they exited had red, grey and white carpeting, the walls were cream but had panels of red alternating every ten feet or so on both sides, when the bellhop led them to their rooms the long narrow corridor gave Anne the chills.

"This looks like the Shining." Jane said.

Everyone says that." The bellhop chuckled.

"Is it really haunted here?" Diana asked him. 

"I've heard and seen things that I can't explain." He told them. Anne pulled out her phone and pressed record.

"Can we get that on the record, Joseph?" She asked looking at his name tag.

"We aren't allowed to make public statements." He told her, stopping at the first room. It was Tillie and Paul's, a giant king sized bed, a black lacquered dresser, flat screen TV on the wall, a desk and a chair beside the window. Pretty standard hotel furnishings, but Anne could see that everything was of a higher quality than the hotels she usually stayed in. Jane and Diana had a similar room to Tillie and Paul's, it had two double beds instead. 

As they walked farther down the long hallway, Gilbert whispered "Think there is a hot tub in our room?"

"Your room has a bathtub that does have spa settings." The bellhop answered and Anne stifled a giggle at Gilbert's beet red face. 

"Thank you Joseph. Anything you recommend doing while we are here? Within walking distance?"

He took in Gilbert's Toronto Maple Leaf hoodie and nodded. "Hockey Hall of Fame is just east of here. There's the PATH, but that is mostly overpriced crap."

"What's the PATH?"

"Oh...it's underground, you can walk all over the downtown area, there is shopping, restaurants, it can take you down to the lake or all the way up to Bloor Street. It's kind of neat to see it all, but you can get lost really easily, it's like a maze. Just be sure to grab a hot dog from one of the vendors across the street, best in the city."

"We will do that Joseph...thank you." She said and Gilbert nodded along with her. When they got to their room, he opened the door for them, brought their luggage in, opened the drapes to let the light in, Gilbert gave him a tip and he left them to their room. It was the same as Tillie and Paul's with different colours and accents. The washroom did have a large bathtub, with lots of settings, and a walk in shower. There were too many buildings to give them a view of the lake, but they could see a good distance out, the CN Tower standing tall among all the other buildings. 

They didn't even get a chance to unpack before they were getting excited texts from their friends. "Time to explore the neighbourhood." She said.

"Let's start with one of those hot dogs." Gilbert said following her back out the door.

"Definitely." She agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Royal York is really said to be haunted and it really is a luxury hotel. The Queen stays there when she visits Toronto. 
> 
> I don't know if it is okay to call them belly boys or bellhops still. I hope it is. 
> 
> The hot dogs outside Union Station, across the street from the Royal York are delicious!


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day of investigating in Toronto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying guys...honestly. 
> 
> There is mention of suicide, so fair warning, but no real details. I also don't think anything in this chapter is scary enough to warrant a warning.

"You hear the kids running up and down the hall last night?" Paul asked the others as he and Tillie joined them in the restaurant for breakfast.

"We did." Diana answered, Jane nodding that she had heard as well.

"I didn't hear anything." Anne said frowning. "What time?"

"About 3." Tillie answered, pouring some fresh orange juice into her glass.

"That's one of the hauntings." Ruby said to them. At their curious looks she frowned. "None of you read about this place? And you call yourselves ghost hunters."

Gilbert smiled at Ruby. "Sorry, when we got to the room we went right to bed."

"I bet you did." Jane teased.

"What did you find Rubes?" Anne changed the subject. 

"Well most of the reports from staff and guests talk about children playing in the hallway, a man in a purple coat on the eighth floor who murdered his wife and screaming in the upper staircase." Ruby told them.

"Don't forget the ballroom." Moody reminded her.

"Oh yeah. Music can be heard from the ballroom that has been closed since the 50s, and some reports of ghostly figures dancing in there. Almost no one has access to the ballroom so I don't know how they could see these figures though."

"Hmmm....anything else?" Josie asked

"Just that an employee supposedly died here about twenty years ago, he killed himself and his figure is seen sometimes."

"Great job Ruby." Tillie gave Ruby a high five and they began chatting about investigating the hotel later.

After breakfast the girl's went back to Diana and Jane's room to do their hair and makeup. Normally they just did whatever they felt like, and hair was in a ponytail or under a hat, but this was going to be on the national news and they wanted to look their best. The boys decided to spend a while wandering the area around the hotel.

When the guys got back, the girls helped them fix their hair and they all put on their team branded clothing. They went down to the lobby to wait for Julie to arrive and start working. 

Mackenzie House was an historic old victorian house that was once home and the death place for Toronto's first mayor, William Lyon Mackenzie. At least that is what the plaque out front of the house said. Julie said producers wanted them to go into each of the haunted places somewhat blind, in the sense that they wouldn't have time to research them. 

They decided they would bring hand held devices only, and extra batteries, to cut down on all the gear they usually used, Julie had brought along a camera person, Vijay, he was young, handsome and had funny personality that Jane seemed attracted to, if Gilbert was interpreting her flirting correctly. They broke into two smaller groups, Vijay going to the basement with Gilbert, Jane, Josie, Paul and Moody. Julie going upstairs with Anne, Diana, Charlie, Ruby, and Jane, to the third floor. 

Gilbert and Josie were interested in the huge, old fashioned printing press in the basement, and the kitchen down there gave everyone creepy vibes but their group didn't hear or see anything paranormal, they hoped that there would be an EVP heard later.

The other group had a similar experience, after the third floor they moved the the second and again, encountered nothing supernatural. 

The next stop was Massey Hall, an old theatre that had been restored and still hosted shows and concerts. Julie told them they had a couple of hours of access to the theatre, which had no employees inside, save for the two security guards who would be escorting them while they investigated. They all gasped at the architecture and design, two levels of balconies, lights and stage. "It might not be as grand as the theatres in New York or London, but it is quite lovely." Julie commented. They split up into their two previous groups, one going backstage to investigate, the other to the upper levels.

Gilbert was on the top level with his group, nothing was showing up on the thermal, they weren't hearing anything.

"You ever see anything strange?" Moody asked the security guard with them.

"I see strange stuff every day, but never any ghosts." He answered. "Oscar has a story though. Make sure you ask him."  
That was all it took for Moody to send off a text to their group, telling them to ask the other guard his story.

"So, Oscar. I hear you have a story about this place?" Diana asked, "Would you be willing to talk about it on camera?"

"Sure." Diana and Ruby started filming him while the rest filmed the area backstage, keeping an ear on Oscar's story.

It was a few months after I started here, I usually got the day shift, quiet, easy days...unless there is a show going on, then there are actors, crew, big wigs everywhere. That night I was doing my second overnight. I had heard stories but didn't believe them. I do my rounds, check the doors, make sure no one is hiding in the gallery or in the washrooms, and I decide to sit on the stage stairs and check my phone to see how the Raptors were doing. I see a movement out of the corner of my eye and look up, there are two old people, a man and a woman, walking arm in arm down the center aisle. I see them, and it takes me a second, how did they get in? I have the keys, all the doors are locked. I stood up and said 'Hey, you can't be in here.' The woman turns and looks at me, smiles and nods but they keep walking, turning toward the side door, the old guy never looks at me, never even acknowledges me. I jump down off the stage and make my way over to them, before I can get to them they are gone. I never took my eyes off them, they didn't get through the locked door...they were just gone."  
It was an interesting story and would add some legitimacy to the segment but they didn't see or hear anything themselves.

Julie too them for dinner next, March in Toronto saw the sun setting before 6pm, and the cold wind whipped around a few snowflakes, as they walked from the van to the the front door of the restaurant. 

"This is a restaurant?" Paul asked. It wasn't some slick glass building, but an old Victorian mansion, dark shadows in the peaked gables, the turret and windows gave it a truly haunted look.

"I've been to The Keg in Halifax. Is it the same?" Josie asked.

"They have locations all across Canada." Julie answered. "This one is called The Keg Mansion."

"Not a terribly clever name but it does work." Anne said. They huddled around the information plaque just in the entrance. It was once owned by the same family responsible for the Massey Hall, the theatre they had just been to.

"This isn't just dinner." Gilbert said to them, realizing that this would be a working dinner.

Inside they were seated at a few tables pushed together, it was dark in the restaurant, the lights low to set the atmosphere. They ordered their drinks and meals and spent the wait chatting. It was too busy to do an actual investigation Julie told them, but a few of the staff would be willing to talk on camera about their experiences. Before the food came, Moody went to the washroom and came back his face white and his eyes bright with excitement. 

"I just had an encounter." He exclaimed and everyone leaned in waiting to hear his story. "I go into the washroom, there are three urinals, I have a shy bladder so I never use them." Gilbert and the other boys nodded, well aware of Moody's avoidance of urinals. "As I am walking by, the center urinal flushes, I think I set off the automatic flush with my movements, continue to head to one of the stalls, close the door and start to...you know..."

"Pee?" Josie asked.

"Yes. There is no noise, except the music and the pee, suddenly the urinal flushes again, and then the other two flush...and then there is knocking on the stall door. Good thing I was already peeing because I would have pissed myself. The knocking gets harder and more forceful, I can see the door shaking, over my shoulder, I finish up, turn toward the door, pull out my phone and start recording, I can still see it shaking and hear the knocking but I can see there are no feet visible behind the door. I bent over a little to make sure, looking under the stalls at the bathroom, I can see there is no one in that washroom with me. I was about to call you guys for help when it stops and goes quiet. I ran out of the stall, washed my hands quickly and headed for the exit, just as I left the room, I hear all three urinals flush again."

"Holy cow! Are you okay?" Ruby starts to rub his back to comfort him. He plays the small clip he has on his phone, the knocking and shaking being seen and heard, and then Moody's sweep of the floor, from under the stall to reveal no feet in there. 

Gilbert, Paul and Charlie are already on their feet for their own trip to the men's room. 

"Perhaps one at a time would be best." Diana suggested.

Charlie wins "Rock, Paper, Scissors" for the chance to go next. Anne can't help herself and heads up to the women's washroom, located right next to the men's room. No one experiences anything else, but they do find it interesting that the urinals never flush randomly with any of the other men in there, they all conducted little experiments to see how close they needed to be to set off the automatic flush, finding out you needed to be directly in front of it to trigger the flush.

Later they find out from employees that this is a regular occurance, as well as a few people seeing the hanging dead corpse of a maid that hanged herself from the stairs on the second floor, and a small boy seen playing on the landing between the first and second floors. 

Julie brings them back to the hotel. "You're on your own tomorrow before 2 pm, I have set up a haunted ghost walking tour for you all, and then you will have access to some places here in the hotel for your investigation. Send me everything you recorded and our editors can get started on your segment."

They don't officially decide on it, but they all stay up, waiting to hear the children in the hallway or to see the man in the purple coat on the eighth floor. 

Anne was looking at Tik Tok and Gilbert studying when they hear the sound of feet running in the hallway. They each grab their cameras and begin recording. Moving toward the door, listening quietly. A happy childish scream, followed by boisterous giggles followed, accompanied by the thunder of feet, going by right outside their door. They open the door and are met by silence, the hallway was empty, another door down the hall opens and a man sticks his head out, glaring at them. 

"It's three in the morning for Christ's sake. Have some respect." He told them.

"It wasn't us." Gilbert answered back.

"Don't lie to me...." Before he could finish the laughter was heard again and the sound of feet running the other way was heard. The man went deathly pale and went back in his room and shut the door. Anne covered her mouth to smother the giggle she felt bubbling up. Nothing else is heard so they go back into their room and send the footage to Julie, and the others. 

Diana, Jane, Paul and Tillie had a similar experience, hearing the running and laughing but not having a stranger yell at them. They also heard it several more times than Anne and Gilbert had. Down on the eighth floor it was still quiet and they hadn't spotted the purple coated man.  
They were all excited to investigate the next night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every location in here is a real place and allegedly haunted. I have been to Mackenzie house but never experienced, never been to Massey Hall or The Keg Mansion, it is on my list to go to. Maybe after covid.
> 
> The story from Massey Hall is almost a word for word story I saw on torontoghosts.org from a security guard who had an experience there. 
> 
> The one at the Keg is based on several different accounts I have read and heard over the years. 
> 
> Fun fact: William Lyon Mackenzie was the grandfather of one of our Prime Ministers.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our story comes to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I am so so sorry. If any of you are still reading it, I hope you aren't disappointed by the rushed ending. I just really struggled with this one, this is why I have to do shorter stories, I get so bored. If I missed any loose ends I apologize.  
> I put Tillie and Jane in the wrong groupings a few times so if you see that, know that I did it and I don't mind you pointing it out to me to fix.  
> A few things that may be scary to some readers so I will put the ** as a warning. 
> 
> The only thing that got me through this chapter was making it unrealistic and over the top paranormal.

The walking tour was fun, they didn't have any real access to the buildings, but it was interesting to hear the stories that the tour guide, Kayla, provided. She was also well informed that she had answers to almost all of their questions, things regarding the history, political and societal impact of these events and buildings. Gilbert fell in love with the University of Toronto campus, it was on his lists of places to go to finish up his medical education, the alleged hauntings giving it a higher placing than previously. Afterward they stopped at a restaurant near the hotel and had a late lunch/early dinner, before heading back to the hotel to get ready for their investigation. 

When Julie got there at 6pm, she handed them the key to room 8-282, and VIP guest passes to show any staff that stopped or questioned them, it would also grant them access to the alarmed staircase. "I hope I don't have to remind you all to be respectful to the hotel, staff and guests." She warned them. Vijay was there again, along with another camera person, Lori. After 9pm, one of the maintenance staff would let them into the closed off Crystal Ballroom. Julie couldn't stay, so with a final warning to behave, she was off.

They broke up into the same groups as before and half went up to room 8-282 and the other half went took the elevator to the 19th floor. From there they took the stairs up as high as they would go. All of the doors were locked and alarmed, they were all doors to maintenance rooms, and to the roof, access was not granted to those places, but they knew from research that this staircase was supposedly haunted and you could hear screaming in there. The reports never said if the screaming was male or female, they hoped to find out.

In room 8-282 Anne and the rest looked around the room. It looked similar to the other rooms they were staying in, the bedspread wasn't as new, nor was the TV on the dresser, this room didn't get rented out very often, so it hadn't been modernized. 

"EVP session?" Diana suggested and they turned out the lights, drew the curtains and sat on the bed, chair and floor, Vijay filming them near the doorway.

"Is there anyone here?" Anne asked. "Tell us your name."

"If you are here, can you make a noise? Or touch one of us?" Charlie suggested. 

"Don't be afraid. We just want to know about you." Anne told potential spirits. "Are you the man in the purple jacket?"

"Holy shit!" Vijay cried out, they all turned to look at him, cameras up and filming him now. "Sorry, I just saw a...something in front of the camera."

"What was it?"Tille asked.

"I don't know, a blob?" He replied. They gathered around him and watched him replay the moment. It really was a white blob that seemed to pop up in front of the camera and then pop away.

"Was it your thumb?" Ruby asked. "Sometimes I film my thumb."

"I have been operating a camera professionally for about ten years. It wasn't my thumb." Vijay answered, annoyed by the suggestion.

"Insect?" Charlie asked.

"It doesn't seem to be the right shape for an insect." Tillie pointed out. The shape was roundish, you couldn't see legs or wings.

"Dust?" Ruby offered.

"Doesn't move like dust usually does, but it could be." Anne said. "We can't really say that is was paranormal."

"We also can't say it wasn't." Charlie countered.

"True...let's get back to it." Anne said. They stayed there for another half an hour and had no response, it was getting close to 9pm so they decided they would finish up and maybe have only one or two people come back later in the night to try another contact.

**In the staircase, it was quiet, just the sounds of their breathing and footsteps on the stairs. There was no direct access to the roof and maintenance rooms on the top floors with the elevators, so only through the staircase, with alarmed doors was the only way possible. 

"So the story about the staircase is that you can hear screaming in here." Moody recounted. "It's usually associated with an employee who hanged themself in one of the maintenance rooms."

They got their voice recorders ready and Gilbert began asking questions. "Is anyone here with us?"

He went through the usual questions, but they didn't hear or get any responses. They decided to head back down and meet up with the other group, as they were about half way down, a loud scream pierced the stairwell.

"Holy shit." Paul whispered.

"Was that male or female?" Josie asked.

"I couldn't tell. It felt like it was coming from all around us, surrounding us." Jane said. They stayed still, hoping another scream would be heard. Instead they heard footsteps on the stairs above them. Without hesitation Gilbert and Paul ran up the stairs, Lori following them. They found the stairs empty. They tried a few more EVP sessions, Gilbert, Paul and Lori on the upper levels, and Moody, Josie and Jane staying down on the floor where they heard the scream. When nothing else happened they moved back down to join with the rest of the group and again heard footsteps above them.

"It's playing with us." Josie said. They waited, almost holding their breath, listening for the steps that seemed to be coming closer toward them as they unknown presence descended toward them. And then stopped on the landing right above them. Gilbert felt goosebumps break out over his entire body, his hair standing on end. It felt like he was being watched...judged. Moody caught his eye and Gilbert recognized the fear on Moody's face. Gilbert was about to suggest just he and Lori stay and see what they could catch, as soon as he opened his mouth the piercing shriek was heard again, causing all of them to jump.

"Jesus Christ." Josie said holding her hand over her heart. Gilbert nodded, his own heart pounding in his chest.

"I think we need to clear out this place. Just Lori," He pointed to the camera person. "And one other."

"I'll do it." Josie volunteered. He was a bit disappointed but he knew he had to share the experience with the others. They left them on the stairs and went down the last two floors and waited in the elevator foyer for Josie and Lori to continue the investigation. After ten minutes the emerged.

"Nothing, not one more noise after you guys left. It was definitely fucking with us."**

It was a few minutes until 9pm when they could gain access to the closed off Crystal Ballroom, so they went to the 17th floor and found Anne and her group already there, they exchanged notes and looked at the footage they others had captured. Gilbert's group agreed that the "blob" seen on Vijay's camera didn't look like dust or a bug, but couldn't say what it was, and Paul and Diana offered to take the first session alone in room 8-282 after they finished up in the ballroom, while Charlie and Tillie were keen to check out the staircase. 

When the maintenance employee arrived, an older gentleman named Marc, Anne and Diana set about asking him about his experiences while working at the Royal York.

"I've heard the music in here, sometimes you can hear tinkling, like glasses and cutlery and laughter. I've heard the screams in the staircase, it's enough to make your hair stand on end." He told them.

"You were never frightened by it?" Diana asked him.

"Scared shitless." He admitted with a barking laugh. "But I never felt afraid for myself. I don't think there is any evil intent."

"Have you ever heard the children running or seen the man in the purple coat?" Anne asked him.

"Never. But lots of other staff have." 

The Crystal Ballroom did not live up to its name. It had bare walls, and floors, only a few lighting fixtures, that were not turned on, the floor to ceiling windows were bare. It looked almost like an empty warehouse. As if sensing their disappointment Marc began to speak.

"Used to be real beautiful up here, wood paneling, gold finishes, even a few balconies looking down over the ballroom, crystal chandeliers, flowers, crisp linens. But when the city said it didn't meet the safety codes, they closed it down, stripped everything from the room, you can find those old pieces in other rooms. It hosted Hollywood stars, politicians and Royalty."

"They closed it in the 50s, you are not old enough to have been working here then." Charlie said.

"I wasn't, but I love this hotel and I read about it and look at old photographs. Wish I had seen her in her heyday."

"Me too." Anne whispered, Gilbert could tell from the way her eyes darted around the room and the dreamy look on her face, she was imagining a grand party, with men dressed in impeccable tuxedos and women is sparkling ball gowns. 

"I wish we brought some of the other tech." Josie said as she walked toward the far corner of the room. "The Xcam at least." Gilbert couldn't disagree with her, even a thermal would have been useful. The room felt lonely to him, a heavy feeling of sadness and neglect, the same sort of feeling he got at Hester Grey's garden. 

"Is there a usual time that the sounds can be heard in this room?" Tillie asked Marc.

"I've heard it at many different times of day, even when there are people in here in the middle of the day. One time I was up here, they were filming a music video and the whole film crew heard the music and laughing." He answered. 

They began their EVP session, with the lot of them spread out around the large room, that way if they wouldn't miss it, if something made itself known.

Gilbert didn't expect any answers, he didn't think this was an intelligent haunting but a residual one. Where events just repeated themselves, as though the event was a film looping on a scene over and over again. When nothing happened he moved toward Anne. 

"Good evening Miss Shirley-Cuthbert, may I have the pleasure of this dance?" He asked smiling at her confused look. "Maybe if there are people dancing, it might trigger the phenomena."

"It would be my pleasure, Dr. Blythe." She agreed, slipping her hand into his outstretched one, and allowing him to pull her closer. He began to lead her around in a clumsy, poorly timed waltz. The others laughed but Charlie soon held Josie in his arms and Moody and Paul asked Ruby and Tillie. Diana even managed to coax Marc onto the dancefloor, while Jane, Vijay and Lori all filmed them. 

"Do you hear that?" Ruby whispered after about five minutes of them dancing. Gilbert held his breath and strained his ears and he could hear faint music, an old big band swing song. 

"I do." Charlie said, just as the music got louder.

"Me too." Said Tillie from another corner of the room. 

"I hear it too." Jane confirmed. "Keep dancing." She told them all. Vijay and Lori were filming around the room, looking for speakers or sources for the music. 

He knew he should really be focusing on the investigation, the music, the camera crew, but Gilbert could barely take his eyes off Anne, she glowed in the darkened room, the moonlight coming in through the windows bathed her skin and hair in a soft blue light. He just wanted to be alone in their room, to take her clothes off and kiss her everywhere the moonlight touched. 

It ended the way it began, slowly getting softer until there was just the sounds of them moving about the old ballroom. They thanked Marc for his time and stories and went back down to the lower floors to plan their next move. 

**It was after 2am by the time Gilbert got into room 8-282. Several others had taken shifts in there with no experiences, Gilbert and Vijay were alone in the dark room, Gilbert sitting on the foot of the bed, and Vijay by the door so he could film most of the room. 

"You must be sick of all of us coming into your room and being noisy, asking you all sorts of questions. We don't mean you any harm, we are just curious. If you want to talk, you can say something into this." He held up his voice recorder. "Or you could make a noise, to let us know you are here.

"My name is Gilbert, and this is Vijay. Was that you earlier? Did you want to see what Vijay was doing? Did you go near his camera?"

"Do you smell that?" Vijay asked him. Gilbert wasn't sure what he meant so he sniffed, it smelled like rose perfume.

"Is that you? If that is your perfume could you give us a sign it is you?" The smell got stronger, almost too strong his nose itched from the overpowering scent. Then he felt the bed move next to him, as if someone had perched on the end of the bed beside him. He stayed still, trying not to reveal the rush of adrenaline he was feeling. Then his heart stopped beating altogether when he felt fingers in his hair, slowly sliding between his curls in a soft, almost loving caress. 

"Gilbert your hair." Vijay whispered, the fear evident in his voice. Gilbert did not acknowledge Vijay, he stayed calm and let the fingers continue.

"Are you sad?" He asked. The fingers stilled for a moment before continuing. "I'm sure it gets very lonely in this room. People are scared to use this room much anymore, do you mean to scare them away?" He felt the fingers tap on his head. He just wasn't sure that it was an answer. "Did your husband hurt you?" Again the fingers stopped moving, and then another soft tap. "Do you want more visitors?" Two taps, did she mean no?

"If you want me to tell the hotel to keep visitors out of this room, can you touch my head twice?" Two taps came, slightly more forceful than the previous ones, but still not threatening or painful. Do you want us to leave? Two touches to let me know to leave." The fingers moved softly through his hair and he was beginning to think that it wouldn't answer him, when the two taps came. He was about to apologize and leave the room, when the fingers moved from the top of his head, down the side of his face and held his cheek, the fingers felt cold as ice.  
He felt the fingers leave his face, but the coldness lingered on his cheek, the spot on the bed went back to normal as though she had stood up. The scent of roses went away and Gilbert was left to stare at Vijay. "She touched me." He gasped, lifting his own hand to his face.**

"I saw your hair moving, and your breath, I could see it."

"Really? Did you get the indent on the bed?" Gilbert stood up and they turned on the light to the room. "Do you think they have one of those timed or motion sensors that release air freshener?" Vijay looked around the room, near the ceiling and near the outlets nearer the floor. 

"I don't see one, but you and I were both still, and I have been in this room three other times and never smelled that before. What did it feel like?"

"Cold, but gentle. She wasn't threatening me. Come on, let's leave her."

They never got a glimpse of the man in the purple jacket, or the kids playing in the halls. They would hear them when they were in their rooms, but whenever they opened the door it was always empty and silent. The staircase produced a few more screams but it never interacted with them and they didn't see any figures or shadows. The investigation was finished. All the footage was sent to Julie, for her producers to make up the segment for the interview, they said good night to Vijay and Lori and thanked them, wishing them luck in their own careers. Then they all went back to their respective rooms for the night. 

Anne leaned against the window, looking at the city beneath them, he turned off the lights in the room, then he walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder, taking in the view too. "I had a hard time concentrating on work, when you looked so luminous in the moonlight." He admitted to her.

"You sure you even remember me, now that you have your girlfriend in 8-282?" she teased. 

"I'm sure, your hands are much warmer." He teased back, letting his own hands wander over her body, snaking one between her thighs and rubbing her through her leggings. She moaned and moved her hips in time with his hand. He used his other hand to move her hair out of his way and began to kiss her neck, just below her ear, she tilted her head and gave him better access to it, one of her hands moving to join his between her legs, the other going up to clutch at the back of his head, holding his lips to her neck. He took a quick look out the window, no high rises were close by, there were some a bit south of the hotel, but the lights were off in their room and anyone looking at their room would need a telescope to see what they were up to, and it was nearly five in the morning...he was going to take her there. He felt his cock filling quickly with blood, at the thought of her naked pressed up against the window, his hands on her hips, maybe one in her hair, while he slammed into her from behind. He growled at the visual in his head and moved both hands to her hips, starting to push her pants down. She helped him, pulling them off her feet and kicking them away, before turning to face him, her hands going under his shirt to take that off. Heaving breathing, sloppy kisses and the rustle of clothing were the only noises in the room and when they were both naked, he kissed her greedily once again, taking her ass in his hands and squeezing it, pulling her against him so his dick pressed into her stomach, leaving a thin trail of precum. 

"Turn around." He told her. She willingly obliged and turned, he ran a hand over the curve of her ass and then pushed gently on the middle of her back, causing her to bend forward slightly, her hands and breasts pressed against the window, she looked over her shoulder and grinned at him. 

"Right here in the window?" She asked. He nodded.

"Is that alright with you?"

"I wouldn't have my tits up against it, if it weren't."

He bent over and kissed her back, then lower, kissing each cheek of her ass before taking a playful bite, causing her to giggle and squirm. He straightened up and reached for her clit, teasing it with his fingers, while kissing her shoulder, when she was close to coming he positioned himself at her entrance and sunk into her, groaning with pleasure as he felt her heat envelope him. He set a slow pace, his hand resuming it's work on her clit. When she started to make soft mewling sounds he sped up a bit, and started to thrust harder, his hand not on her pussy, moved to her hip to help with his rhythm. She was pushing back against him, and everytime he slammed in as deep as he could get, he felt her grip his dick with her muscles, he was trying not to lose control, but when he felt her walls fluttering around him, squeezing as she came, her cheek pressed against the glass, eyes closed as she cried out through her orgasm, that control slipped. The hand on her cunt moved to grab a handful of that thick red hair he loved so much and his hand on her hip dug in deeply as he pulled her back to meet him roughly with each of his thrusts. She braced her hands against the window and let him have his way with her, her whispers of encouragement getting louder with each thrust, until she was loudly demanding her fuck her harder and faster. He saw sparks or spots before his eyes as he came, thrusting into her a few more times as he spilled into the condom, his legs weak.

"Christ." He uttered as he pulled out of her and caressed her back. 

"Bed." She replied, walking toward it on shaky legs, before laying down on top of it. "Hurry up and come cuddle me." He got rid of the condom and joined her, she was now under the blanket and sheets, she immediately laid her head on his chest and he wound his arms around her, where the long day caught up with them both and they fell asleep quickly.

"We are about to enter The Stanley Hotel. The infamous hotel that inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. Said to be home to countless ghosts, including a cat and a dog. We are going to spend the night investigating this beautiful, historic hotel. Maybe we will see or hear from one of the many spirits said to be here." Anne finished the introduction and checked with the director, who had no notes and didn't require a second take. 

Gilbert could not believe it, just over 18 months had gone by since they had stayed at the Royal York in Toronto and were on CTV's Canada Am. In that time they had somehow managed to get a TV show with their groups combined, on a US cable station. They filmed mostly on the weekends to make travelling easier for the university students, sometimes one of them would not be able to travel due to school or personal reason but there were enough members in C.G.I. (Canadian Ghost Investigators) to cover for those missing. 

That wasn't the only thing to change in their lives. Moody and Ruby were engaged and living together in their own apartment in Charlottetown. Tillie and Paul eloped while they were doing an investigation in Las Vegas, no one thought it would last but they were still married and deliriously in love seven months later. Josie had dumped Charlie not long after the trip to Toronto, but they got back together three months later, then they broke up again and got back together. They were good at staying professional so it hadn't caused any disruptions to the team. Jane was always joking about being the last remaining single in their group, but by the amount of dates she went on, Gilbert didn't think she was lonely, she was young and having fun and had no plans to settle down for a while. 

Cole and Roy were now married, they had a beautiful wedding the previous New Year's Eve, white lights and flowers in a beautiful snow covered field, at the Cuthbert family farm. Cole still came on the occasional investigation and gave them advice, but most of his time was spent doing private readings. His popularity had skyrocketed and he was able to support himself through those readings. Gilbert was one of his first professional readings. Gilbert trusted him and he needed to be sure his father was okay.

"He's always been so proud of you. They both have." Cole had told him, and Gilbert had felt overcome with emotion. He hadn't known his mother, she was just a name or a face in some photos. His father had talked about her like she walked on water, but they were just stories to Gilbert. Sure he had wondered what it was like to have a mother, but how could he miss what he didn't know? To know she still loved him and was proud of him, changed something in him. He gathered all of his father's pictures of his mother and studied her face, spoke to her like he did his dad, and put them around the house so he could begin to honour her the way she deserved to be. 

Jerry had his family group home up and running, Anne, Gilbert and the others were constantly sharing links to his organization and social media, so he was able to get a lot of private donations to help kids stay together when they had lost their parents. Jerry and Diana were also dating, and Anne knew they were looking forward to moving in together when Diana graduated, hoping she could get a job in her field that wouldn't require too much of a commute to be able to stay together in Jerry's apartment. 

Bash and Mary had welcomed a new baby, his name was Alexandre, and he was just as adorable as his big sister who treated him like he was her own baby. Matthew and Marilla were doing well, they were thinking about selling the farm and retiring, Matthew's back was going out a lot and it seemed like it was time. 

Gilbert himself was tired and overworked, between school, family and C.G.I., but he would have it no other way. He was about to start medical school in Halifax, he would definitely need to cut back on C.G.I while he pursued his dream, but he knew it was safe in Anne's capable hands. They lived together in an old Victorian house near the waterfront in Charlottetown, they were already looking for a new place in Halifax, Anne was deciding if she was going to use her degree to look for a job there, or focus on C.G.I., since it generated more than enough money for them to live comfortably on. 

His Anne. How had he lived all the years before he met her, without her? She made him laugh everyday, even when he was furious with her, she would make him laugh and his anger with disappear. He didn't think it was possible to love her more, but then she would randomly do a cartwheel while they were walking down the street, or she would get in a twitter war with someone making sexist or racists comments and he would find himself loving her even more intensely. He put his hand in his pocket and felt the small velvet box there. He wasn't worried she would say no, he was just worried about screwing it up. So he had put it off again and again. Well not this time. Tonight he would ask her, ghosts or no ghosts.

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canada AM has been off the air for a few years but I refuse to acknowledge the show that replaced it. In my mind Canada AM with Bev, Marci and Jeff is still on every weekday morning.

**Author's Note:**

> The Drunken Donkey is made up by me, as is Joan Sullivan. 
> 
> The Little Girl's Grave is real and I have been there, it is the grave of Katherine McIntosh, you can Google it to see the images if you like. 
> 
> The Scotch Fort Cemetery is also a real place, I have not been there. 
> 
> The XCam is a real ghost hunting gadget, and is really that expensive.


End file.
